title: Efficacy of a potassium nitrate mouthwash in alleviating cervical dentine sensitivity (CDS).
abstract: Potassium nitrate (KNO3) has been used previously in a dentifrice or gel to alleviate cervical dentine sensitivity (CDS). The aim of this study was to compare a 3% KNO3 Silica/NaF mouthwash with a NaF/silica mouthwash in a 6-week multi-centre double-blind study. 47 subjects (12M; 35F, mean age 36.2 (SD 11.46) years) participated in the study. Subjects were evaluated for tactile (Yeaple probe) and air sensitivity (dental air syringe) together with subjective perception of pain (0-10 scale) at 0, 2 and 6 weeks. Results for Yeaple probe (gm wt) (Wilcoxon paired rank test) between 6 weeks and baseline, were highly significant for both groups. Differences between groups at 6 weeks were statistically significant. Subjective Yeaple probe scores (paired t-tests) between 6 weeks and baseline were significant for both groups. There were no significant differences (unpaired t-tests) between groups over 6 weeks for subjective Yeaple probe scores. Subjective air scores (paired t-tests) between 6 weeks and baseline were significant for both groups. There were significant differences (unpaired t-tests) between groups in favour of the 3% KNO3/Silica/NaF group at 6 weeks. The 2 weeks and baseline results for both groups were the same as reported for 6 weeks and baseline. The results demonstrated that a 3% KNO3/Silica/NaF mouthwash compared to a Silica/NaF control significantly reduced CDS when evaluated by tactile and thermal stimuli. A 3% KNO3/silica/NaF mouthwash would, therefore appear to have therapeutic potential to alleviate CDS.
authors.affiliation: Dental Health Policy, Eastman Dental Institute for Oral Health Care Sciences, University of London, UK.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Gillam
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bulman
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019237:Tooth Cervix
chemical_list: D009067:Mouthwashes; D009566:Nitrates; D017680:Potassium Compounds; C023844:potassium nitrate