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Anticalculus effect of two zinc citrate/essential oil-containing dentifrices
S L Santos1, N Conforti, S Mankodi
1The Warner-Lambert Consumer Healthcare Division of the Warner-Lambert Consumer Group of Pfizer, Morris Plains, NJ, USA. sylvia.santos@wl.com
Purpose:
To assess the feasibility of incorporating zinc citrate, a known anticalculus ingredient, into a dentifrice formulation containing a fixed combination of essential oils, a known antiplaque/antigingivitis agent.
Materials And Methods:
This randomized, parallel, double-blind study evaluated the potential of two essential oil dentifrice formulations containing different levels of zinc citrate (1.0% and 2.0% ZCT) to reduce supragingival calculus formation compared to a marketed control dentifrice, Crest Regular. Following a 3-month pre-test phase, subjects received a dental prophylaxis, were stratified into three balanced groups on the basis of Volpe-Manhold calculus scores and brushed twice daily with their assigned dentifrice for 3 months.
Results:
One hundred ninety-six evaluable subjects completed all phases of the study. ANCOVA revealed that the 1.0% ZCT and 2.0% ZCT essential oil dentifrice formulations provided significant reductions in calculus formation of 26.4% and 29.0% (P< 0.001), respectively, compared to the control dentifrice, Crest Regular. The magnitude of calculus reductions is similar to those levels obtained by other zinc salt formulations.
