Comparison of the Chemical Anti-plaque Effects of Six Different Toothpastes

Objectives: Toothpastes contain substances which have mechanical as well as chemical anti-plaque effects. Magnesium carbonate, Aluminum hydroxide and Calcium sulfate are abrasive agents in toothpastes whereas Pyrophosphate, Tricoloson and Sodium fluoride are considered chemical anti-plaque agents in toothpastes. The aim of this study was to compare the chemical anti-plaque effects of two foreign brands (Crest &Signal2) and four Iranian toothpastes (Paveh, Nasim, Pooneh, and Daroogar). Methods: Twenty dental students participated in this double blind study. A maxillary stent was made for each student and was used as a container to carry toothpaste against the teeth. Subjects were instructed not to brush their teeth for 48 hours. Then the plaque index (sillness&loe) was measured. After that, every subject was instructed to use stents filled with toothpaste for 5 minutes, twice a day for 3 consecutive days. After using each tooth paste, subjects were asked to brush their teeth normally for one week. The procedure was repeated in the same subject with other toothpastes. Results: The plaque index reduction in buccal sites was more than on palatal surfaces. Mesio-buccal sites showed the most and mid-palatal the least reduction in plaque index. Crest and Signal toothpastes showed the most plaque index reduction and Pooneh and Nasim the least. Conclusions: This study showed that the use of toothpaste alone caused plaque index reduction even without tooth brushing. The significant differences between different toothpastes used in this study show that the type of anti-plaque chemical agents and toothpastes formulation are very important in plaque index control.