A six-week clinical tooth whitening study of a new calculus-inhibiting dentifrice formulation

This six-week double-blind clinical study compared the toothwhitening effects of a new calculus-inhibiting dentifrice containing pyrophosphate, tripolyphosphate and copolymer in a 0.243 sodium fluoride/silica base (Test Dentifrice) with two commercially available dentifrices: Aquafresh Whitening Toothpaste with Fluoride and Crest Regular Fluoride Toothpaste. After a baseline examination for extrinsic tooth stain, qualifying adult males and females from Manchester, United Kingdom and from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada were randomly assigned into three test groups. Each group was balanced for gender, tobacco habits and levels of tooth stain. Subjects were to brush their teeth twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush using the assigned toothpaste. One-hundred and twenty-eight (128) subjects complied with instructions and completed the trial. Subjects using the Test Dentifrice exhibited statistically less stain area and less stain intensity than did either the Aquafresh or Crest groups. Crest Regular Fluoride toothpaste was statistically less effective than Aquafresh Whitening toothpaste in removing stain. Results in this trial support the conclusion that a new dentifrice formulation containing pyrophosphate, tripolyphosphate and a copolymer, in a 0.243% sodium fluoride/silica base, effectively removes extrinsic tooth stain.