The Anti-Gingivitis Effect of Two Commercial Toothpastes: A 21 Day, Partial-Mouth, Double Blind, Randomized Study

Abstract: Objective: While mechanical plaque removal represents the standard preventive practice, the high prevalence of gingival disease motivates the use of toothpaste to vehicle chemicals that aid plaque control. The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two commercial toothpastes in reducing gingival inflammation and prevent dental plaque accumulation. Materials and Methods: This study has a cross-over, randomized and double blind design with a partial mouth experimental model. The study is composed by two experimental phases of 3 weeks each, followed by a 21 day wash out interval. During the experimental phases experimental teeth were protected from toothbrushing through a toothshield filled with the tested toothpaste. At the beginning and at the end of the two experimental phases, plaque and gingival status were measured using Plaque Control Record and the Bleeding Index. The Student t-test for paired data was used to assess whether differences between toothpastes were statistically significant (p<0.05). Results: At day 21 the bleeding index (BOP) remains approximately constant despite the increase of Plaque Control Record in both groups. The toothpaste with MicroRepair/hyaluronic acid/ ZnPCA performed slightly better than the toothpaste with Triclosan/Copolymer, but the difference is not statistically significant. Conclusions: Tested toothpastes have comparable effectiveness in the contrast of the accumulation of plaque and of gingival inflammation.