Comparative evaluation of effectiveness of two toothpastes containing potassium nitrate in the treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity secondary to scaling and root planing

Abstract

Introduction: Many people suffer from dental hypersensitivity as a result of scaling and root planing. It is important to use products that can reduce the patient's discomfort in the shortest time. Due to the existing restrictions on access to toothpaste of foreign brands following the sanctions, lack of sufficient studies on domestic anti-sensivity products and the importance of conducting research to strengthen domestic products and increase their quality, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of dentin sensivity treatment after scaling and root planning through using two anti-sensivity potassium nitrate toothpastes, that one was common in the Iranian market (MERIDENT) and the other one was a reputable foreign brand (PRONAMEL). Methods and Materials: This randomized clinical trial study was performed on 22 patients (11 in MERIDENT group and 11 in PRONAMEL group), who were referred to the Periodontics Department of Tabriz Dental School during 2019 for scaling and root planing. Toothpastes was assigned to patients by coding method and they were asked to use toothpaste on the toothbrush for 30 days (2 minutes every day). The VAS scale was used to measure the degree of dental sensitivity of patients in response to hot, cold and tactile stimulions within 3 sections including before the start of treatment (baseline), mid-course trestment (day 15) and end of treatment (day 30). Results: In this study, the mean age of patients was 34.1±5.5 years old, and 59.1% were female and 40.9% were male. In each of the study groups, patients' dental sensitivity to cold, heat and tactile stimulions was significantly reduced with the start of continuous treatment. The degree of dental sensitivity of patients in response to cold, heat and touch stimulions during the study periods were not significantly different between the two groups, in other words, the two potassium nitrate toothpastes had the same effectiveness in treatment of dentin sensivity following the scaling and root planning. Conclusion: It is recommended to use the domestic potassium nitrate toothpaste (MERIDENT) as a replacement to similar foreign samples in treatment of dental sensivities.