A twelve-week clinical comparison of two tartar control dentifrices

The objective of this double-blind clinical study, conducted using the Volpe-Manhold evaluation method for dental calculus, was to compare the effect on supragingival calculus formation of a dentifrice containing tetrasodium pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, and a copolymer in a 0.243% sodium fluoride/silica base (Test Dentifrice), to that of a commercially available calculus-inhibiting dentifrice containing tetrasodium pyrophosphate and a copolymer in a 0.243% sodium fluoride/silica base (Positive Control Dentifrice). Adult male and female subjects from the northern New Jersey area were entered into the study based on a pre-test (baseline) Volpe-Manhold Calculus Index score of 7.0 or greater, provided a full oral prophylaxis, and stratified into two treatment groups which were balanced for age, sex and baseline calculus scores. Subjects were instructed to brush their teeth twice daily (morning and evening) for one minute with their assigned dentifrice, using a soft-bristled toothbrush. Examinations for dental calculus were again performed after twelve weeks' use of the study dentifrices. Seventy-three (73) subjects complied with the protocol, and completed the entire study. At the twelve-week examination, the Test Dentifrice group exhibited a statistically significant 43.5% reduction in mean Volpe-Manhold Calculus Index scores compared to the Positive Control Dentifrice group. The results of this clinical study support the conclusion that a new calculus-inhibiting dentifrice, containing tetrasodium pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, and a copolymer in a 0.243% sodium fluoride/silica base, is efficacious for the control of the development of supragingival calculus, and provides a level of benefit greater than that provided by a commercially available calculus-inhibiting dentifrice containing tetrasodium pyrophosphate and a copolymer in a 0.243% sodium fluoride/silica base.