IADR Abstract Archives
Cuttlebone Toothpaste for Dental Calculus: A Double Blinded Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Objectives: Calculus is a mineralized plaque that plays an important etiological role in periodontal disease. Most anti-calculus toothpastes prevent calculus formation, and their ability to remove calculus without damaging the tooth structures is limited. Cuttlefish bone powder is an abrasive with hardness properties ideal for calculus removal. The purpose of this randomized controlled clinical study was to test the efficacy of cuttlefish bone toothpaste in removing calculus.
Methods: The study design was reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Board Committee of McGill University (application A08-M35-16B). Eighty-three patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were blindly and randomly assigned into two study groups. Forty-two participants received the intervention (cuttlebone toothpaste), and forty-one received the control toothpaste (Crest toothpaste). Calculus, stain, QHI plaque, and Gingival indices scores, and patient satisfaction surveys were recorded and compared at baseline, 3, 6 and 9 months, using a generalized linear model analysis with Wald’s Chi square test. Scaling and polishing were offered to all participants at the 3-month visit and the end of the study.
Results: At 3 months, the interventional group showed 32% less total calculus compared to the baseline mean score (p = 0.0007) and 59% less total calculus compared to the control group (p = 0.0001). Over the 9 months, the mean calculus score for Crest users was 79% higher than that of cuttlebone toothpaste users (p = 0.0008). There was a significant improvement in the gingival health of cuttlebone toothpaste users compared to the control group at all time intervals. Both toothpastes were able to remove stains (p < .0001) achieving comparable results. The cuttlebone toothpaste users scored significantly higher satisfaction rates in 4 of 7 question in the satisfaction survey.
Conclusions: Cuttlebone toothpaste can remove calculus, prevent calculus formation and improve gingival health. Moreover, patients are generally satisfied with the performance of the cuttlebone toothpaste.
Methods: The study design was reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Board Committee of McGill University (application A08-M35-16B). Eighty-three patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were blindly and randomly assigned into two study groups. Forty-two participants received the intervention (cuttlebone toothpaste), and forty-one received the control toothpaste (Crest toothpaste). Calculus, stain, QHI plaque, and Gingival indices scores, and patient satisfaction surveys were recorded and compared at baseline, 3, 6 and 9 months, using a generalized linear model analysis with Wald’s Chi square test. Scaling and polishing were offered to all participants at the 3-month visit and the end of the study.
Results: At 3 months, the interventional group showed 32% less total calculus compared to the baseline mean score (p = 0.0007) and 59% less total calculus compared to the control group (p = 0.0001). Over the 9 months, the mean calculus score for Crest users was 79% higher than that of cuttlebone toothpaste users (p = 0.0008). There was a significant improvement in the gingival health of cuttlebone toothpaste users compared to the control group at all time intervals. Both toothpastes were able to remove stains (p < .0001) achieving comparable results. The cuttlebone toothpaste users scored significantly higher satisfaction rates in 4 of 7 question in the satisfaction survey.
Conclusions: Cuttlebone toothpaste can remove calculus, prevent calculus formation and improve gingival health. Moreover, patients are generally satisfied with the performance of the cuttlebone toothpaste.