Anti-Tartar Efficacy of a Novel Glass-H Containing Dentifrice

The traditional anti-tartar efficacy of dentifrice is via physical interaction during brushing. There are many difficult areas to be reached on teeth surfaces. Hence, it is necessary to develop new ingredients to achieve anti-tartar efficacy via chemical interaction. Objective: This study is conducted to test the efficacy of a novel, enamel safe, anti-tartar ingredient - Sodium Hexametaphosphate (Glass-H) in a dentifrice. Method: Modified Plaque Growth Mineralization (mPGM) method was used (D. White, Ed R. Cox etc., The Journal of Clinical Dentistry, XIII(1)). Briefly, plaque was grown on glass rods and exposed to the mineralization solution and treated with different dentifrices for 30 sec./day for ten days. Plaque calcium levels were measured in a NaOH-HCl mixed solution to determine the anti-tartar efficacy of different dentifrices. Various marketed dentifrices including Glass-H containing dentifrice (Crest® Superior Refreshing Whitening GelTM), Pyrophosphate containing dentifrice (Crest® Shuang Xiao Jie BaiTM) and Colgate® Total TM were compared in this study. A silica-sodium fluoride based dentifrice was also included and served as a negative control. Results: Plaque calcification was significantly inhibited by dentifrice slurry treatments with Glass-H containing Crest® Superior Refreshing Whitening GelTM with 71.24% reduction in the plaque calcium level vs. negative control dentifrice. While Pyrophosphate Containing Crest® Shuang Xiao Jie BaiTM and Colgate® Total TM were 34.80% and 4.37% respectively. Conclusion: The novel dentifrice - Crest® Superior Refreshing Whitening GelTM has significantly improved anti-tartar efficacy compared with other marketed dentifrices. It can reduce tartar formation via chemical interaction.