A clinical assessment of the efficacy of a stannous-containing sodium fluoride dentifrice on dentinal hypersensitivity.

AIM To measure the desensitizing benefits of an experimental stannous-containing sodium fluoride dentifrice versus a regular sodium fluoride negative control. METHODS AND MATERIALS This study was a randomized, double-blind, parallel group, four-week clinical trial. Subjects reporting dentinal hypersensitivity were enrolled and randomized to the experimental dentifrice or the control dentifrice to use twice daily for four weeks. Efficacy assessments (Air Blast) were performed at baseline and weeks two and four. Separate analyses were performed for the two most sensitive teeth at baseline and for all 12 teeth. Results for weeks two and four combined also were analyzed. RESULTS Thirty-one subjects were included in the analyses. For the two most sensitive teeth, the experimental dentifrice showed statistically significantly less sensitivity (p<0.05) versus the control at weeks two and four and for weeks two and four combined. The sensitivity reduction ranged from 24.9% to 28.4% over the control. For all 12 teeth, the experimental group had statistically significantly (p<0.03) lower sensitivity scores versus the control group at week two and weeks two and four combined. CONCLUSION The experimental dentifrice demonstrated significant desensitizing advantages versus the control. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE This stannous-containing sodium fluoride dentifrice provides an effective treatment for patients with dentinal hypersensitivity, significantly reducing sensitivity versus a negative control in this four-week trial.