Randomized Trial of Plaque-Identifying Toothpaste: Decreasing Plaque and Inflammation

Area of Science:

• Oral hygiene research
• Cardiovascular disease biomarkers
• Inflammation markers

Background:

• Limited data exist on plaque-identifying toothpastes' effects on dental plaque and inflammation.
• Inflammation, measured by hs-CRP, is crucial in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test if Plaque HD toothpaste reduces dental plaque and hs-CRP levels.
• To evaluate the plaque-identifying toothpaste's impact on inflammation markers.

Main Methods:

• A randomized trial involving 61 healthy adults aged 19-44 years.
• Participants used either plaque-identifying or placebo toothpaste for 60 days.
• Assessed changes in dental plaque and hs-CRP from baseline.

Main Results:

• Plaque-identifying toothpaste reduced mean plaque score by 49% vs. 24% for placebo (P=.001).
• In subjects with elevated hs-CRP, plaque-identifying toothpaste reduced hs-CRP by 29% vs. a 25% increase with placebo (P=.041).

Conclusions:

• Plaque-identifying toothpaste significantly reduced both dental plaque and hs-CRP.
• Findings support the hypothesis that this toothpaste may reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
• Further large-scale trials are needed to confirm CVD risk reduction.