title: A clinical study of the efficacy of a new chewing gum containing calcium hydroxyapatite in reducing dentin hypersensitivity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A controlled, clinical, double blind study was conducted to assess the efficacy of a sugar-free chewing gum containing calcium hydroxyapatite on dentin hypersensitivity, versus a placebo chewing gum with no active ingredients, after one and two weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and seven subjects joined the trial and were allocated into the test or the control (placebo) group by a random table. The test chewing gum contained calcium hydroxyapatite and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate; the control chewing gum was identical, but without those ingredients. Participants were required to chew two pieces of their assigned chewing gum three times a day. Dentin hypersensitivity was evaluated following three clinical test indexes (tactile, air blast, cold water) and one subjective index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred subjects completed the study with 50 allocated to each group. The clinical test index reductions after one and two weeks in the test group were, respectively, 36% and 54% for tactile, 35% and 66% for air blast, and 24% and 49% for cold water. The clinical test index reductions after one and two weeks in the control group were, respectively, 16% and 30% for tactile, 11% and 25% for air blast, and 14% and 31% for cold water. These reductions at one and two weeks were significant for the test group (p < 0.01). For the control group they were significant (p < 0.01) only at two weeks. The comparisons between the groups at two weeks showed a significant statistical difference between the test and the control gum for tactile (p < 0.01), for air blast (p < 0.001), for cold water (p < 0.05), and for the subjective index (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this trial, the group using the chewing gum containing calcium hydroxyapatite had a statistically significant reduction in all clinical test indexes for dentin hypersensitivity after one and two weeks, and a statistically significant reduction compared to the control gum group.
authors.forename: Pier Francesco
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Porciani
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chazine
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grandini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000388:Air; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002638:Chewing Gum; D057133:Dentin Desensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D017886:Durapatite / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010919:Placebos; D014110:Touch; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D002638:Chewing Gum; D057133:Dentin Desensitizing Agents; D010919:Placebos; D014867:Water; D017886:Durapatite; C494366:calcium phosphate, dibasic, dihydrate