title: A four-week clinical study to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of a baking soda dentifrice and an antimicrobial dentifrice in reducing plaque.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and compare the effectiveness in reducing plaque of a fluoride dentifrice containing baking soda and a non-baking soda fluoride dentifrice containing an antimicrobial (triclosan/copolymer) system after a single brushing and over a four-week period of daily brushing.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 207 subjects completed this randomized, blinded, parallel-group clinical study. Twenty-four hour plaque buildup was scored at baseline and after two and four weeks of twice-daily use of the products. Additionally, controlled single brushing with the assigned dentifrice, followed by post-brushing plaque assessment, was performed at the start (baseline visit) and end (Week-4 visit) of the study. Plaque was scored using the Turesky, et al. modification of Quigley-Hein Index at six sites per tooth, according to Soparkar's modification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean baseline whole mouth plaque scores for the baking soda and triclosan dentifrice groups were 2.90 +/- 0.40 and 2.90 +/- 0.39, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant. Within-group analysis showed that both products significantly reduced the amount of plaque over the four-week period (p < 0.001). Between-group analysis showed that brushing with the baking soda dentifrice exhibited significantly greater reduction in plaque scores (p < 0.001) after two and four weeks of brushing as compared to the triclosan dentifrice. After four weeks, the mean plaque reduction for the baking soda dentifrice group (0.34 +/- 0.32) was 2.22-fold greater than that observed for the triclosan dentifrice group (0.15 +/- 0.24). Similarly, single brushing with the baking soda dentifrice showed a 1.88- to 2.08-fold greater pre- to post-brushing plaque difference as compared to the triclosan dentifrice at the baseline visit (mean plaque reduction: baking soda 0.54 +/- 0.26; triclosan 0.28 +/- 0.18; ratio 1.88X) and Week-4 visit (baking soda 0.47 +/- 0.21; triclosan 0.23 +/- 0.15; ratio 2.08X). Similar to the whole mouth scores, evaluation of various tooth sites (facial, lingual, proximal, and gingival) showed a significantly greater reduction in plaque scores for brushing with the baking soda dentifrice as compared to brushing with the triclosan dentifrice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicate that the baking soda dentifrice was more effective than the non-baking soda, antimicrobial dentifrice in plaque removal after a single tooth brushing, and in maintaining significantly lower plaque levels during a four-week period of twice daily, unsupervised tooth brushing.
authors.affiliation: Church & Dwight Company, Princeton, NJ, USA annahita.ghassemi@churchdwight.com
authors.forename: Annahita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghassemi
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Vorwerk
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hooper
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Putt
authors.forename: Kimberly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Milleman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D003802:Dentifrices / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012824:Silicic Acid; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000379:methods; D014100:Toothpastes; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014260:Triclosan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D045424:Complex Mixtures; D003802:Dentifrices; D014100:Toothpastes; C546060:hydrated silica gel-based toothpaste; C546054:sodium bicarbonate-based toothpaste; D012824:Silicic Acid; D014260:Triclosan; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D005459:Fluorides