Clinical efficacy evaluation of calcium, phosphate, and sodium bicarbonate on surface-enamel smoothness and gloss

This clinical study evaluated the effectiveness of a fluoride dentifrice containing calcium, phosphate, and sodium bicarbonate for improving surface-enamel smoothness and gloss relative to a commercially available fluoride and silica-containing dentifrice. Balancing for baseline surface-enamel roughness and gloss, 113 healthy adult volunteers who met the inclusion criterion for daily acidic drink consumption were randomized to receive 1 of the 2 products. Subjects brushed their teeth using the assigned dentifrice and a soft-bristled adult toothbrush for 1 minute twice daily for 3 months. Surface-enamel roughness and gloss were evaluated at baseline and after 1 and 3 months of brushing twice daily. Within-treatment comparisons showed longitudinal improvement by the test dentifrice in tooth-surface roughness and gloss at the 1-month and 3-month examinations. After 3 months of use, the test dentifrice exhibited a highly significant improvement in gloss (23.4%, P < .0001) and surface roughness (13.7%, P < .0001) over baseline. The control dentifrice showed no significant improvement longitudinally in either parameter. Between-group comparisons adjusted for baseline demonstrated a significantly (P < .0001) greater improvement in tooth-surface roughness and gloss for the test dentifrice. The results indicate that the fluoride dentifrice containing calcium, phosphate, and sodium bicarbonate is effective in improving tooth-surface smoothness and gloss with regular use.