title: Clinical evaluation of an in-office desensitizing paste containing 8% arginine and calcium carbonate for relief of dentin hypersensitivity prior to dental prophylaxis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a professional prophylaxis paste containing 8% arginine-calcium carbonate in the reduction of dentin hypersensitivity used as a pre-procedural application compared to a commercially-available prophylaxis paste.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey, USA. A mixed population of adult males and females between the ages of 18-70 were included in the study. Baseline air blast hypersensitivity score of 2 or 3 (Schiff Cold Air Sensitivity Scale) were mandatory for inclusion in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned to either: (1) Control paste, Nupro non-fluoridated pumice based prophylaxis paste (Dentsply Professional) or (2) Test paste, a desensitizing paste containing 8% arginine and calcium carbonate (Colgate-Palmolive Company). Either the Control or Test paste was applied to subjects prior to their receiving a routine dental prophylaxis. After completion of the dental cleaning procedure, a final post-cleaning air blast examination was performed on each subject following identical methods as at the baseline exam. Paired t-tests and ANCOVA were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  66 subjects were enrolled in the study. Following the post-cleaning air blast hypersensitivity examination, there was a significant decrease of 83.94% in the hypersensitivity of subjects using the Test paste. The group using the Control paste showed a 13.43% desensitization. There was a statistically significant difference of 79.65% between the two groups. Subjects in the age groups 41-50, 51-60, and 61-70 years of age showed the most reduction in dentin hypersensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, 1945 Highway 33, Neptune, NJ 07753, USA. well_t@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Wellington S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Sally-Jo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Placa
authors.forename: Fotinos S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Panagakos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001120:Arginine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis; D057133:Dentin Desensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D057133:Dentin Desensitizing Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D001120:Arginine; D002119:Calcium Carbonate