The effectiveness of a patient‐applied tooth desensitizing gel A pilot study

Abstract

Potassium nitrate has been found to be an effective ingredient for reducing dentinal hypersensitivity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a patient-applied 10% potassium nitrate glycerine-based gel in decreasing dentinal sensitivity on cold on teeth with exposed dentin apical to the cemento-enamel junction, 12 patients, each having 3 hypersensitive teeth, were tested. The patients were divided into 3 treatment groups: group 1 was treated with a glycerine-based 10% potassium nitrate gel: group 2 was treated with a glycerine gel without potassium nitrate; and group 3 received no gel and no treatment (control). Following brushing and flossing, groups 1 and 2 applied the gel to the test teeth using custom-made soft acrylic trays, for a period of 5 min/day for 4 weeks. Patient responses to cold water stimuli of 20 degrees C, 10 degrees C and 0 degrees C, were measured at baseline (week 0), then at 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-week intervals. Group 1 patients showed a significant decrease in sensitivity to cold at week 2 only. The group 2 patients showed a significant decrease in sensitivity to cold after 3 and 4 weeks. A statistically significant decrease in sensitivity was noted between group 2 and group 3 patients at week 3. The most sustained decrease in sensitivity to cold was found on teeth treated with plain glycerine.

The Efficacy of Strontium and Potassium Toothpastes in Treating Dentine Hypersensitivity: A Systematic Review

“…A study by Manochehr-Pour et al [69] was also excluded due to incomplete data reported in the study. The two animal studies by Peacock and Orchardson [74, 75] were also excluded and a pilot study reported by Reinhart et al [80] was excluded. The studies by Sharma [83], Sharma et al [84], and Wara-aswapati et al [94] were also excluded as no data was available at the 6-to-8-week time intervals.…”

Advances in the treatment of root dentine sensitivity: mechanisms and treatment principles

“…artificial silica) with low Radioactive Dentin Abrasivity (RDA) values and detergent systems (anionic/non-ionic) have also occurred over the last decade or so and these are important particularly for removing plaque and stain, etc. Other recent innovations include chewing gums containing potassium chloride (168) and mouthrinses containing potassium citrate and potassium nitrate solutions (3%) (4,149,169) or gels (10%) in a mouthguard (170), although the efficacy of these products has been varied. The extent to which dentifrice ingredients may react with one another and possibly interfere with the delivery and potential efficacy of the active ingredient in the clinical setting still needs to be investigated.…”

“…NovaMin s (calcium sodium phosphosilicate) is a new product formulation found in a variety of dental products such as Nucare Prophy Paste (Sunstar Butler, Chicago, IL, USA) and Oralieft Therapy for Sensitive teeth (NovaMin Technology Inc., Gainsville, FL, USA) (164) and would appear to be based on Bioglass technology that was initially used in periodontal procedures (165) and a desensitizing dentifrice formulation (162,166,167). Other recent innovations include chewing gums containing potassium chloride (168) and mouthrinses containing potassium citrate and potassium nitrate solutions (3%) (4,149,169) or gels (10%) in a mouthguard (170), although the efficacy of these products has been varied. More recently, potassium nitrate has been used in bleaching trays to reduce DH/RDS during and following the bleaching process (101).…”

Evaluation of the efficacy of two potassium nitrate bioadhesive gels (5% and 10%) in the treatment of dentine hypersensitivity. A randomised clinical trial

“…Several clinical studies have endorsed the efficacy of NK, in toothpastes or mouthwashes, as a desensitising agent (Hodosh 1974, Green et al 1977, Blong et al 1985, Nagata et al 1994, with significant results between the second and fifth weeks (Reinhart et al 1990, Echeverría et al 1991, Schiff et al 1994, Sicilia et al 1996. Nevertheless, a few studies exist which report contradictory results (Green et al 1977, Manoucher-Pour et al 1984.…”

“…According to these results, a need exists for treatment, which relieves the symptoms of DH in the first days of its presentation (48-96 h). A little studied presentation of NK has been in a gel (Reinhart 1990). The gel containing 10% NK is a novel presentation about which we have very little information.…”