Effects of conducting media and gender on an electric pulp test.
OBJECTIVE
(1) To determine the pulpal sensory thresholds in human teeth obtained from using various EPT conducting media and (2) to determine whether there are gender differences.


METHODS
One intact maxillary central incisor was randomly selected from each of 40 participants (20 male, 20 female) aged 19-24 year. A constant-current electrical stimulator (University of Bristol, UK) was used to apply electrical stimuli with different conducting media at intervals of 1 min on the middle of the crown to evaluate the sensory threshold of the tooth. The tip of the electrode was coated with a thin layer of test media. The sensory thresholds and the pain scores were measured simultaneously after applying stimuli twice a second and gradually increasing the intensity until felt by the participants. Test media included water-based gels (K-Y UltraGel; Xylocaine 2% Jelly, electrode gel, fluoride gel) and toothpastes (Colgate Total; Sensodyne Repair & Protect; Dentiste' Plus White; Sparkle White). The sensory threshold data were evaluated using two-way anova followed by the Tukey test.


RESULTS
Xylocaine 2% Jelly and fluoride gel evoked significantly lower threshold values when compared with Sensodyne Repair & Protect (P < 0.001). With all test media, the mean sensory threshold from the female group was significantly lower than that of the male group (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The sensory thresholds to electrical stimuli in human teeth was influenced by the type of conducting media and gender.
Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Chunhacheevachaloke
Department of Stomatology, Faculty of Dentistry, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Ajcharanukul
D002482:Cellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D003791:Dental Pulp Test; D003802:Dentifrices; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides; D005460:Fluorides, Topical; D005782:Gels; D005990:Glycerol; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor; D008012:Lidocaine; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010710:Phosphates; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D012737:Sex Factors; D012824:Silicic Acid; D014100:Toothpastes; D055815:Young Adult
D003802:Dentifrices; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005460:Fluorides, Topical; D005782:Gels; C042973:K-Y jelly; D009566:Nitrates; D010710:Phosphates; D011409:Propylene Glycols; C097427:Sensodyne; D014100:Toothpastes; C546060:hydrated silica gel-based toothpaste; D012824:Silicic Acid; D002482:Cellulose; D008012:Lidocaine; D005990:Glycerol; D005459:Fluorides
dental pulp diseases; dental pulp test; electric conductivity; gender characteristics; sensory threshold