IADR Abstract Archives
Mouthguard and Desensitizing Toothpaste to Reduce Tooth Hypersensitivity in Swimmers
Objectives: Wearing a mouthguard while swimming can protect against tooth erosion. Desensitizing toothpaste has been shown to reduce tooth tissue loss and dental hypersensitivity effectively. This study aimed to compare the use of mouthguard alone versus mouthguard with desensitizing toothpaste in reducing dental hypersensitivity from dental erosion in swimmers.
Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at swimming pools in Khon Kaen and Mahasarakam provinces in Thailand. Forty-six swimmers aged 13-25 years old, who swam at least 5 hours/week and had dental hypersensitivity from erosion, were enrolled in this study. Swimmers were randomly assigned to wear either mouthguard with desensitizing toothpaste or mouthguard alone while swimming. Before using the mouthguard and at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after using the mouthguard, swimmers were asked to estimate an overall dental hypersensitivity after swimming using visual analogue scale (VAS). The VAS was also used to measure dental hypersensitivity after tactile and cold stimulation on the tooth at baseline and at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after mouthguard use. Within-group comparison was performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Between-group comparison was analyzed using t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. Multiple comparisons were adjusted using Bonferroni method.
Results: At baseline, there was no statistically significant difference in demographic characteristics and oral health status between comparison groups. Dental hypersensitivity scores, with and without clinical stimuli, were significantly reduced from baseline at all follow-up visits in both groups (p-value ≤ 0.001). The reduction of dental hypersensitivity was greater in the mouthguard with desensitizing toothpaste group than in the mouthguard alone group, but the difference was not statistically significant.
Conclusions: Wearing mouthguard with desensitizing toothpaste can effectively reduce dental hypersensitivity in swimmers but its effect is not different from wearing mouthguard alone.
Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at swimming pools in Khon Kaen and Mahasarakam provinces in Thailand. Forty-six swimmers aged 13-25 years old, who swam at least 5 hours/week and had dental hypersensitivity from erosion, were enrolled in this study. Swimmers were randomly assigned to wear either mouthguard with desensitizing toothpaste or mouthguard alone while swimming. Before using the mouthguard and at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after using the mouthguard, swimmers were asked to estimate an overall dental hypersensitivity after swimming using visual analogue scale (VAS). The VAS was also used to measure dental hypersensitivity after tactile and cold stimulation on the tooth at baseline and at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after mouthguard use. Within-group comparison was performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Between-group comparison was analyzed using t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. Multiple comparisons were adjusted using Bonferroni method.
Results: At baseline, there was no statistically significant difference in demographic characteristics and oral health status between comparison groups. Dental hypersensitivity scores, with and without clinical stimuli, were significantly reduced from baseline at all follow-up visits in both groups (p-value ≤ 0.001). The reduction of dental hypersensitivity was greater in the mouthguard with desensitizing toothpaste group than in the mouthguard alone group, but the difference was not statistically significant.
Conclusions: Wearing mouthguard with desensitizing toothpaste can effectively reduce dental hypersensitivity in swimmers but its effect is not different from wearing mouthguard alone.