Potassium oxalate mouthrinse reduces dentinal hypersensitivity: A randomized controlled clinical study

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Health
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Dentinal hypersensitivity is a common oral condition.
• In-office potassium oxalate (KO) treatments are FDA-cleared.
• This study evaluated a KO mouthrinse for at-home use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of a potassium oxalate (KO) mouthrinse for managing dentinal hypersensitivity in a home-use setting.
• To determine if KO mouthrinse provides a clinically meaningful improvement for patients with sensitive teeth.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group controlled study.
• 375 participants with dentinal hypersensitivity were randomized to KO or placebo mouthrinse groups for 4 weeks.
• Success was defined as a ≥30% reduction in cold air stimulus response, with statistical significance based on ADA criteria.

Main Results:

• KO mouthrinse showed significantly higher success rates (69.3%) than placebo (44.6%).
• Statistically significant improvements were observed for KO compared to placebo in cold air stimulus scores and tactile sensitivity at week 4.
• Improvements were also noted at week 2 for the KO group.

Conclusions:

• KO mouthrinse effectively controls and reduces dentinal hypersensitivity when used adjunctively with toothbrushing.
• Results indicate KO mouthrinse is a clinically and statistically significant option for at-home management of sensitive teeth.
• Clinicians can consider KO mouthrinse for patient at-home care regimens.