Clinical evaluation of dentinal hypersensitivity treatment with 5% potassium nitrate dentifrice.

AIM: To evaluate the desensitizing effect of a Bulgarian-made dentifrice containing 5% potassium nitrate in a double-blind experiment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 40 clinically healthy individuals aged 23 to 60 years, who complained of increased sensitivity to thermal, chemical and mechanical stimuli in 462 teeth. The recruited patients were allocated into two groups: 20 patients were treated with the Sensi I dentifrice, and the other 20--the Sensi II dentifrice. The outcome of treatment was evaluated by any alteration in pain sensitiveness in response to different stimuli and changes in the threshold of electrical excitability. RESULTS: The Sensi I toothpaste (containing 5% potassium nitrate) was found to have a better desensitizing effect than the Sensi II placebo toothpaste (P < 0.01). The Sensi I dentifrice caused a rise in the threshold of electrical excitability of sensitive teeth with clinically intact enamel (P < 0.01), teeth with erosions (P < 0.05) and teeth with exposed root surfaces (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The Sensi toothpaste, containing 5% potassium nitrate, demonstrated a pronounced anesthetizing effect; it can be used successfully for treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity of teeth with clinically intact enamel, erosions and exposed root surfaces due to gingival recessions.