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Remineralizing Potential of a Low Fluoride Toothpaste with Sodium Trimetaphosphate: An in situ Study
Eliana M Takeshita1, Marcelle Danelon, Luciene P Castro
1Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health, Araçatuba Dental School, UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba, Brazil.
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of a low-fluoride (F) toothpaste supplemented with sodium trimetaphosphate (TMP) on enamel remineralization in situ.
Design:
Bovine enamel blocks were selected on the basis of their surface hardness (SH) after caries-like lesions had been induced, and randomly divided into 4 treatment groups, according to the toothpastes used: without F or TMP (placebo); 500 ppm F; 500 ppm F plus 1% TMP; and 1,100 ppm F. The study design was blinded and crossover and performed in 4 phases of 3 days each. Eleven subjects used palatal appliances containing 4 bovine enamel blocks which were treated 3 times per day during 1 min each time, with natural slurries of saliva and toothpaste formed in the oral cavity during toothbrushing. After each phase, the percentages of surface (%SHR) and subsurface hardness recovery (%ΔKHNR) were calculated. F, calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (Pi) contents in enamel were also determined. Data were analyzed by 1-way, repeated-measures ANOVA, followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test (p < 0.05).
Results:
Toothpaste with 500 ppm F + TMP and 1,100 ppm F showed similar %SHR and %ΔKHNR as well as enamel F, Ca, and Pi concentrations.
Conclusion:
The addition of TMP to a low-fluoride toothpaste promoted a similar remineralizing capacity to that of a standard (1,100 ppm F) toothpaste in situ.
