Effect on Oral VSC of Zinc Lactate Candies Assumption.

Objectives: This clinical study was conducted to assess the efficacy of two sugar-free candies containing zinc lactate vs. placebo on oral volatile sulfur compounds (VSC).
Methods: This was a double-blinded, randomized trial. Participants had at least 24 teeth, no oral or systemic diseases, and no removable dentures. They agreed to avoid professional hygiene and drugs for two weeks, and brush, smoke, alcohol, coffee, tea, onion, garlic, and licorice for six hours before the test. Moreover, they had to score a level of VSC ≥75 ppb at basal measurement. Both test candies (1.9g) contained zinc lactate, one delivering 0.51mg of zinc per piece and another delivering 0.255mg; the placebo candy was identical without zinc. The OralChroma2^© was utilized to score the VSC at baseline, after sucking one candy and after 30 minutes. Data were evaluated intra-group with ANOVA for repeated measures and among the groups with ANCOVA and Tukey post-hoc test.
Results: 158 subjects joined and 135 completed the trial. None reported problems due to zinc lactate. In the group with the candy with 0.51mg of zinc, the mean reduction from baseline at the end of sucking was 69.3% (p<0.001), and after 30 minutes 48.4% (p<0.001). In the group with the candy with 0.255mg of zinc, the mean reduction from baseline at the end of sucking was 65.0% (p<0.001), and after 30 minutes 44.7% (p<0.001). In the control group, the mean reduction from baseline at the end of sucking was 36.0% (p<0.001), and after 30 minutes 13.5% (p<0.005). Both the test candies always showed a better performance versus the placebo with a significant difference after sucking (p<0.01) and after 30 minutes (p<0.005).
Conclusions: All the tested candies containing zinc lactate can statistically significantly reduce the oral VSC levels after 30’ better than the placebo one.