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Instant and Lasting Relief Effects of Strontium Chloride/Potassium Nitrate Dentifrice on Dentin Hypersensitivity

A Randomized, Double-blind Clinical Trial to Assess the Instant and Lasting Relief Effects of a Dentifrice Containing 2% Strontium Chloride and 5% Potassium Nitrate on Dentin Hypersensitivity

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01426360
Enrollment
79
Registered
2011-08-31
Start date
2011-09-30
Completion date
2011-09-30
Last updated
2011-12-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Dentine Hypersensitivity

Keywords

dentifrice, potassium nitrate, strontium chloride

Brief summary

The objective of the present study was to compare the effects of a commercially available dentifrice containing 2% strontium chloride and 5% potassium nitrate in a silica base, versus a control dentifrice, containing exactly the same ingredients apart from strontium chloride and potassium nitrate, on the instant and lasting relief of DH.

Detailed description

Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is a very common complaint that occurs in the general population. The intensity of the pain can be minor to very serious, which may prevent one from eating or performing ordinary oral hygiene practices. The most accepted mechanism by which DH occurs is hydrodynamic theory, which suggests that pain-producing stimuli cause rapid movement of fluid within the dentin tubules, as a result the free nerve endings, at the inner ends of the tubules or the periphery of the pulp, are excited and DH occurs. According to this theory, one approach to treat DH is reducing dentin tubule fluid movement through occluding open tubules. Strontium chloride was the first tubule-blocking ingredient used in dentifrice about fifty years ago and since that time a paucity of clinical studies have been carried out to test its effectiveness on DH. The other approach is to reduce the pulp nerve excitability by depolarizing the nerve endings, in which the most widely used material is potassium salts. Although there is limited clinical evidence that dentifrices containing strontium chloride or potassium nitrate alone, as the major desensitizing agent, has an effect on reducing DH, no clinical studies have shown the effectiveness of a dentifrice containing both strontium chloride and potassium nitrate in a silica base on alleviating DH.

Interventions

use the dentifrice to brush teeth twice a day for one minute for 3 days

OTHERstrontium chloride/potassium nitrate dentifrice

use the dentifrice to brush teeth twice daily for 3 days

Sponsors

Sun Yat-sen University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* good oral and general health * possessing at least two teeth (incisors, cuspids, bicuspids and first molars with exposed cervical dentin) with hypersensitivity on facial surfaces which satisfied a tactile hypersensitivity stimulus score of 10-50 grams of force (Yeaple probe) and an air blast stimulus score of 2 or 3(Schiff Cold Air Scale) * provided informed consent and were available for the study duration

Exclusion criteria

* progressive periodontitis, with teeth that had extensive restoration, suspected pulpitis, caries, cracked enamel or that were used as abutments for removable partial dentures, * had hypersensitive teeth with a mobility greater than one * had received periodontal treatment including surgery during the last year * had used any other anti-hypersensitivity dentifrice or taken part in any other clinical trial, used any desensitizing agents during the last three months, or allergic to the ingredients of the dentifrices were excluded * pregnant or breastfeeding women * had taken the following drugs during the last month: anticonvulsants, antihistamines, antidepressants, sedatives, tranquilizers, anti-inflammatory drugs or daily analgesics

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Tactile Hypersensitivity Scores Immediately After Topical Dentifrice Useimmediately after dentifrice useImmediately after dentifice use, tactile hypersensitivity assessments were done using an Electronic Force Sensing Probe (Yeaple Probe Model 200A, Xinix Research Inc., USA). Scores were recorded in terms of a quantified force applied by a #19 explorer tip. After presetting the probe to 10 grams, the tip of the probe was run across the exposed dentin perpendicular to the examined surface. Subsequent passes were made, each time the applied force was increased by 10 grams, until the subject indicated that he/she was experiencing discomfort, or until the maximum force of 50 grams had been reached.
Air Blast Hypersensitivity Scores Immediately After Topical Dentifrice Useimmediately after dentifrice useThe tooth was isolated. Air was delivered from a standard dental unit air syringe and directed at the exposed buccal surface of the hypersensitive tooth for 1 second. The Schiff Cold Air Sensitivity Scale was used to assess the subjects' response. 0 - Subject does not respond to air stimulus; 1. \- Subject responds to air stimulus, but does not request discontinuation of stimulus; 2. \- Subject responds to air stimulus and requests discontinuation or moves from stimulus; 3. \- Subject responds to air stimulus, considers stimulus to be painful, and requests discontinuation of the stimulus.
Tactile Hypersensitivity Score After 3 Days of Dentifrice Use3 days after dentifrice useAfter 3 days, tactile hypersensitivity assessments were done using an Electronic Force Sensing Probe (Yeaple Probe Model 200A, Xinix Research Inc., USA). Scores were recorded in terms of a quantified, reproducible force applied by a #19 explorer tip. After presetting the probe to 10 grams, the tip of the probe was run across the exposed dentin perpendicular to the examined surface. Subsequent passes were made, each time the applied force was increased by 10 grams, until the subject indicated that he/she was experiencing discomfort, or until the maximum force of 50 grams had been reached.
Air Blast Hypersensitivity Score 3 Days After Dentifrice Use3 days after dentifrice useAfter 3 days, tooth was isolated. Air was delivered from a standard dental unit air syringe and directed at exposed buccal surface of the hypersensitive tooth for 1 second. The Schiff Cold Air Sensitivity Scale was used to assess the subjects' response. 0 - Subject does not respond to air stimulus; 1. \- Subject responds to air stimulus, but does not request discontinuation of stimulus; 2. \- Subject responds to air stimulus and requests discontinuation or moves from stimulus; 3. \- Subject responds to air stimulus, considers stimulus to be painful, and requests discontinuation of the stimulus.

Countries

China

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Strontium Chloride/Potassium Nitrate Dentifrice
Subjects receive a commercially available dentifrice containing 2% strontium chloride and 5% potassium nitrate in a silica base (the experimental group)
38
Control Dentifrice
Subjects receive a commercially available control dentifrice containing exactly the same ingredients with the exception of strontium chloride and potassium nitrate (the control group)
41
Total79

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicStrontium Chloride/Potassium Nitrate DentifriceControl DentifriceTotal
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
38 Participants41 Participants79 Participants
Age Continuous42.37 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.8
43.39 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.8
42.9 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.7
Baseline air blast hypersensitivity score2.42 Scores on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.41
2.46 Scores on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.41
2.44 Scores on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.41
Baseline tactile hypersensitivity score12.63 gram
STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.16
12.2 gram
STANDARD_DEVIATION 3.72
12.41 gram
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.45
Region of Enrollment
China
38 participants41 participants79 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
27 Participants28 Participants55 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
11 Participants13 Participants24 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 380 / 41
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 380 / 41

Outcome results

Primary

Air Blast Hypersensitivity Score 3 Days After Dentifrice Use

After 3 days, tooth was isolated. Air was delivered from a standard dental unit air syringe and directed at exposed buccal surface of the hypersensitive tooth for 1 second. The Schiff Cold Air Sensitivity Scale was used to assess the subjects' response. 0 - Subject does not respond to air stimulus; 1. \- Subject responds to air stimulus, but does not request discontinuation of stimulus; 2. \- Subject responds to air stimulus and requests discontinuation or moves from stimulus; 3. \- Subject responds to air stimulus, considers stimulus to be painful, and requests discontinuation of the stimulus.

Time frame: 3 days after dentifrice use

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Strontium Chloride/Potassium Nitrate DentifriceAir Blast Hypersensitivity Score 3 Days After Dentifrice Use1.8 scaleStandard Deviation 0.56
Control DentifriceAir Blast Hypersensitivity Score 3 Days After Dentifrice Use2.13 scaleStandard Deviation 0.6
Primary

Air Blast Hypersensitivity Scores Immediately After Topical Dentifrice Use

The tooth was isolated. Air was delivered from a standard dental unit air syringe and directed at the exposed buccal surface of the hypersensitive tooth for 1 second. The Schiff Cold Air Sensitivity Scale was used to assess the subjects' response. 0 - Subject does not respond to air stimulus; 1. \- Subject responds to air stimulus, but does not request discontinuation of stimulus; 2. \- Subject responds to air stimulus and requests discontinuation or moves from stimulus; 3. \- Subject responds to air stimulus, considers stimulus to be painful, and requests discontinuation of the stimulus.

Time frame: immediately after dentifrice use

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Strontium Chloride/Potassium Nitrate DentifriceAir Blast Hypersensitivity Scores Immediately After Topical Dentifrice Use1.93 scaleStandard Deviation 0.51
Control DentifriceAir Blast Hypersensitivity Scores Immediately After Topical Dentifrice Use2.22 scaleStandard Deviation 0.6
Primary

Tactile Hypersensitivity Score After 3 Days of Dentifrice Use

After 3 days, tactile hypersensitivity assessments were done using an Electronic Force Sensing Probe (Yeaple Probe Model 200A, Xinix Research Inc., USA). Scores were recorded in terms of a quantified, reproducible force applied by a #19 explorer tip. After presetting the probe to 10 grams, the tip of the probe was run across the exposed dentin perpendicular to the examined surface. Subsequent passes were made, each time the applied force was increased by 10 grams, until the subject indicated that he/she was experiencing discomfort, or until the maximum force of 50 grams had been reached.

Time frame: 3 days after dentifrice use

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Strontium Chloride/Potassium Nitrate DentifriceTactile Hypersensitivity Score After 3 Days of Dentifrice Use19.87 gramStandard Deviation 14.95
Control DentifriceTactile Hypersensitivity Score After 3 Days of Dentifrice Use14.27 gramStandard Deviation 5.98
Primary

Tactile Hypersensitivity Scores Immediately After Topical Dentifrice Use

Immediately after dentifice use, tactile hypersensitivity assessments were done using an Electronic Force Sensing Probe (Yeaple Probe Model 200A, Xinix Research Inc., USA). Scores were recorded in terms of a quantified force applied by a #19 explorer tip. After presetting the probe to 10 grams, the tip of the probe was run across the exposed dentin perpendicular to the examined surface. Subsequent passes were made, each time the applied force was increased by 10 grams, until the subject indicated that he/she was experiencing discomfort, or until the maximum force of 50 grams had been reached.

Time frame: immediately after dentifrice use

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Strontium Chloride/Potassium Nitrate DentifriceTactile Hypersensitivity Scores Immediately After Topical Dentifrice Use19.47 gramStandard Deviation 14.69
Control DentifriceTactile Hypersensitivity Scores Immediately After Topical Dentifrice Use14.27 gramStandard Deviation 5.76

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026