Clinical efficacy of a triclosan/copolymer/NaF dentifrice and a commercially available breath-freshening dentifrice on hydrogen sulfide-forming bacteria.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this randomized, cross-over clinical study was to compare the 4-h and overnight effects of a triclosan/copolymer/fluoride (TCF-AF) dentifrice and a commercially available breath freshening (CBF) dentifrice containing fluoride for their ability to control H(2)S-forming bacteria.


METHODS
Following a 1 week washout period of brushing with a regular fluoride dentifrice, subjects reported to the clinical site without performing oral hygiene, eating or drinking in preparation for baseline saliva sampling. After providing a baseline saliva sample, subjects were randomly assigned a test dentifrice and instructed to brush their teeth for 1 min, twice a day for 1 week. On the morning of the eighth day, subjects returned to the test site having refrained from oral hygiene, eating and drinking for overnight sampling. Subjects then brushed for 1 min with the assigned dentifrice, and returned for 2 and 4 h postbrushing evaluations. Following a second 1 week washout, subjects repeated the same regimen, but now using the other dentifrice. Oral micro-flora samples were collected by subjects rinsing with 10 ml of sterile water for 10 s. Each collected sample was serially diluted and plated in duplicate onto lead acetate agar. After incubating for 72 h, dark colonies were counted, expressed as log colony-forming units/ml, and reductions from baseline were calculated.


RESULTS
Compared with baseline, the TCF-AF dentifrice reduced H2S-forming bacteria 0.82, 0.80 and 0.22 log units at the 2 and 4 h and overnight time points compared with 0.60, 0.43 and 0.07 log units for the CBF dentifrice. The TCFAF dentifrice was statistically significantly better (P < 0.05) than the CBF dentifrice at 4 h and overnight after brushing the teeth.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this randomized study indicate that the TCF-AF dentifrice is effective in controlling H2S-producing bacteria.
Vazquez
J
J
Oral Care Advanced Technology, Colgate-Palmolive Company Technology Center, Piscataway, NJ 08854-1343, USA.
Pilch
S
S
Williams
M I
MI
Cummins
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003802:Dentifrices / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006209:Halitosis / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000378:metabolism*; D008298:Maleates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011095:Polyethylenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology; D012969:Sodium Fluoride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014260:Triclosan / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D003802:Dentifrices; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008298:Maleates; D011095:Polyethylenes; D014260:Triclosan; D012969:Sodium Fluoride; C043105:poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic anhydride); D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide