Hypersensitive dentinal pain attenuation with potassium nitrate.
Dentinal hypersensitivity occurs when gingival recession exposes dentin at the cervical margins of teeth. Twenty-four periodontal patients, with postoperative hypersensitive dentin were treated by burnishing saturated potassium nitrate (KNO3) to relieve pain. Using a visual analogue scale with participants acting as their own control, a subjective assessment of pain was measured and compared before and after KNO3 application. Thirty-six regions involving 98 teeth were assessed. A significant reduction of sensitivity and pain was achieved by using a saturated KNO3 solution (p < .0001 Student-t).
D003804:Dentin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*