Method:Adult subjects with plaque scores of 1.5 or more by the Turesky modification of the Quigley-Hein index (PI) and gingival scores of 1.0 or more by the Loe-Silness index (GI) were enrolled. After baseline evaluations, subjects were randomly assigned to a treatment group. Post-treatment evaluations were conducted after 6-week use of assigned toothpaste. An ANOVA analyzed results within each treatment group and an ANCOVA determined differences between treatment groups.
Result: One-hundred-five (105) subjects completed the study. At baseline, treatment groups demonstrated no statistical differences for plaque and gingival index score or for subject age and gender (p>0.05). At the 6-week examination, the F, Zn/Sn and TCN groups demonstrated significant reductions in GI scores of 16.6%, 19.9% and 32.5% respectively from their baselines (p<0.05). Correspondingly, significant reductions in PI scores from baseline to the 6-week evaluation of 20.4%, 16.4% and 38.1% respectively were observed for the F, Zn/Sn and TCN groups respectively. The TCN toothpaste demonstrated significantly greater reductions in PI and GI than the F or Zn/Sn groups at the 6-week evaluation by ANCOVA (p<0.05). In comparison to the F and Zn/Sn groups, the TCN group demonstrated 12.5% and 17.5% lower GI scores respectively, along with a 23.6% and 21.7% lower PI scores (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The triclosan toothpaste demonstrated significantly greater control of dental plaque and gingivitis in comparison to dentifrices formulated with fluoride or with zinc citrate and stannous chloride (p<0.05).