ABSTRACT
Abstract
Objective:
This study aimed to
review evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to describe 1) the active ingredients and desensitizing
toothpaste brands; 2) the evaluation of these active ingredients over
time, and 3) the
fluoride and abrasive content in the formulations designed to treat
dentin hypersensitivity (DH).
Methodology:
In total, 138 RCTs and their tested
toothpastes were included. Searches were updated up to August 19, 2021. Formulations, reported brands, active ingredients over
time, and type of
fluoride (ionizable or ionic
fluoride) and abrasive (
calcium or
silica-based) were analyzed (PROSPERO #CRD42018086815).
Results:
Our trials assessed 368
toothpaste formulations, including 34 placebo (9%), 98 control
toothpastes with
fluoride (27%), and 236 (64%) with active ingredients to treat DH. We tested the following active ingredients
potassium compounds (n=68, 19%),
calcium sodium phosphosilicate (CSP) (n=37, 10%),
strontium compounds (n=28, 8%),
arginine (n=29, 8%),
stannous fluoride (SnF2) (n=21, 6%),
hydroxyapatite (n=9, 2%),
potassium combined with another active ingredient (n=19, 5%), inorganic
salt compounds (n=11, 3%),
citrate (n=5, 1%),
formaldehyde (n=3, 1%),
herbal (n=4, 1%), copolymer (n=1, 0.5%), and trichlorophosphate (TCP) (n=1, 0.5%). The number of
toothpaste formulations increased since 1968, with the greatest increment after 2010. Most
toothpastes described their type of
fluoride as
sodium monofluorphosphate (MFP) (n=105, 29%) and NaF (n=82, 22%), with
silica-based (n=84, 23%) and
calcium-based (n=64, 17%) abrasives.
Conclusion:
Patients and
dentists enjoy an increasing number of brands and active ingredients to decide what desensitizing
toothpaste to use. The most common types of
fluoride are MFP and NaF.