Caries Prevention Products & Dentinal Hypersensitivity

November 17, 2020 updated by: Britta Magnuson, Tufts University

Comparing Three Caries Prevention Products on Dentinal Hypersensitivity - A Pilot Study

The aim of this pilot research project is to compare the clinical effect on dentinal hypersensitivity of three products: Casein Phosphopeptide-Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (CPP-ACP) paste with fluoride, 5000 Sodium Fluoride (NaF) dentifrice containing Tri-Calcium Phosphate (TCP), and a dentifrice containing Potassium Nitrate.

The hypothesis of this study is that CPP-ACP with fluoride and 5000ppm NaF with TCP will exhibit a greater reduction in dentinal hypersensitivity compared to the control (dentifrice containing Potassium Nitrate).

The results of this pilot study will validate or negate the need for a larger clinical study that may provide generalizable results for using caries-prevention products with the additional benefit of minimizing dentinal hypersensitivity.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Dentinal hypersensitivity commonly occurs in patients with gingival recession, resulting from a reduced periodontium or in patients who have undergone non-surgical and surgical periodontal therapy (Pradeep 2010, Yilmaz 2011). When the gingiva recede, the root surfaces of the teeth are exposed (West 2008). In addition, after a non-surgical or surgical periodontal procedure, the cementum of the root surface is removed as a result of scaling and root planing. This leaves dentin exposed on the root surface with open dentinal tubules. In addition, dentin is less mineralized than enamel and has a greater susceptibility to and a faster progression of root caries and dentinal hypersensitivity (Saunders 2005). Root caries commonly occurs in patients who have undergone periodontal therapy and extensive root caries often results in the extraction of the tooth (Hull 1997).

Dental professionals often make a variety of recommendations to remedy dental hypersensitivity, including the application of fluoride varnishes, anti-hypersensitivity toothpaste, gingival grafting procedures and various restorative procedures, aiming to occlude the dentinal tubules or desensitize the pulpal nerve endings (Brahmbhatt 2012, Orsini 2010).

Since the introduction of Caries Management By Risk Assessment (CAMBRA) in the Journal of the California Dental Association in 2007 (Jenson 2007, Young 2007), the marketplace for anti-caries products has surged. As a result, many approaches to the management of dental caries have been introduced and dental practitioners and sales representatives have promoted several anti-caries products. In addition, the reduction or the abatement of the progression of dental caries (coronal, root and interproximal) as a result of a caries management program has been reported (Featherstone 1992, Ito 2012). Many caries management products have ingredients that include fluoride and calcium phosphate (Amorphous Calcium Phosphate-Casein Phosphopeptide (Recaldent ™), (Wang 2012) Tri-Calcium Phosphate ™ or Novamin ™) (Su 2011). Moreover, encouraging clinical findings have been reported, including, but not limited to the reduction of white spot enamel lesions and dentinal hypersensitivity (Kowalczyk 2006).

The topical application of "antihypersensitivity" materials is a common recommendation (least invasive of the "standard of care" recommendations) to diminish dentinal hypersensitivity and will serve to provide data for the research study. The study will evaluate which of these products result in the greatest reduction of dentinal hypersensitivity. The application of the experimental products for the reduction of dentinal hypersensitivity is for research purposes.

The methods used to test sensitivity in this study have been used in published studies (Brahmbhatt 2012, Holland 1997). The VAS scale used in this study has also been used for tooth sensitivity studies (Holland 1997, Hughes 2010). A 30% decrease in VAS score has been shown to be clinically meaningful (Ritter 2006, Raymond 2008).

This pilot study would investigate the ability of anti-caries products to reduce dentinal hypersensitivity when compared to a sensitivity-reducing dentifrice. It would be a novel contribution to the dental community if a material that is proven to reduce tooth decay is also proven to reduce dentinal hypersensitivity. The results may potentially have a tremendous impact on the dental community because it may provide dental professionals a scientifically-supported approach to improve the comfort and quality of life of periodontal patients (patients who are treated for gum disease/ bone loss around teeth) and increase the lifespan of teeth that undergo periodontal treatment.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

39

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02111
        • Tufts University School of Dental Medicine

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

16 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • At least 18 years of age
  • Tooth with exposed root surface and/or exposed dentin
  • Tooth with a VAS score greater than or equal to 3
  • No adjacent tooth/teeth with sensitivity (as defined as 2 or higher on the VAS)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participation in another dental study that may alter the results of this study.
  • A medical condition that could interfere with reliable pain reporting (e.g., pain disorders)
  • Any chronic medical condition that requires the regular use of pain or anti-inflammatory medications
  • Used a desensitizing dentifrice within the preceding four weeks
  • Have received an antihypersensitivity treatment (varnish or precipitating solution) of the identified tooth within the preceding four weeks
  • Undergoing active orthodontic treatment.
  • Teeth with carious lesions, buccal vertical cracks in enamel, evidence of irreversible pulpitis (pain lasting more than five seconds after air stimulation)
  • Pregnant/ lactating patients (Clinpro5000 has 5000ppm fluoride and there is a risk of ingesting the product)
  • Patients with Milk Allergy (CPP-ACP is a dairy based product)
  • Patients on Kidney Dialysis (due to the free calcium in CPP-ACP, dialysis patients should be on a diet with limited calcium)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Sensodyne
There are no specific characteristics for inclusion in this group. Enrollment will be determined randomly.
Subjects will be instructed to brush with Sensodyne twice daily (2 minutes each time in the morning and the evening) during the duration of the study.
Active Comparator: Crest Cavity Protection & MI Paste Plus
There are no specific characteristics for inclusion in this group. Enrollment will be determined randomly.
Subjects will be instructed to brush twice daily (2 minutes each time in the morning and the evening) using Crest Cavity Protection toothpaste. They will be instructed to apply MI Paste Plus (CPP-ACP with fluoride) twice daily to the study teeth after brushing their teeth. MI Paste Plus will be applied to the study teeth with a finger.
Active Comparator: Clinpro 5000
There are no specific characteristics for inclusion in this group. Enrollment will be determined randomly.
Subjects will be instructed to brush with Clinpro 5000 twice daily (2 minutes each time in the morning and the evening) during duration of the study.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Dentinal Hypersensitivity
Time Frame: 8 weeks after baseline

The primary analysis will be to compare the dentinal hypersensitivity between the 3 groups.

Air test: A 1 second blast of air from the air-water syringe was applied to the tooth.

Water test: Three drops of ice water were be placed on the tooth.

Schiff Score

Investigator observed participant reaction to test and scored on following scale:

0-Tooth/Subject does not respond to stimulus.

  1. Tooth/Subject responds to stimulus, but does not request discontinuation of stimulus.
  2. Tooth/Subject responds to stimulus and requests discontinuation or moves from stimulus.
  3. Tooth/Subject responds to stimulus, considers stimulus to be painful, and requests discontinuation of the stimulus

VAS (visual analog scale):

The participant reported sensitivity on a scale of 0-10. 0 being no pain and 10 being worst pain imaginable.

8 weeks after baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Britta Magnuson, DMD, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

May 1, 2014

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2018

Study Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2018

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 7, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 8, 2014

First Posted (Estimate)

May 13, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

December 10, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 17, 2020

Last Verified

November 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 11184
  • New Investigator Grant (Other Identifier: TUSDM)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Hypersensitivity

Clinical Trials on Sensodyne

3
Subscribe