Removal of extrinsic stain using a tartar control whitening dentifrice: a randomized clinical trial.

A nine-week, double blind clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel tartar control whitening dentifrice with a silica-based abrasive system on induced dental stain. The study model involved three weeks of stain induction followed by six weeks of unsupervised brushing to assess efficacy. To induce stain, 222 healthy adult volunteers received a dental prophylaxis, and then began a limited brushing regimen supplemented by three-times daily rinsing with tea and once daily rinsing with 15 ml of 0.12% chlorhexidine. This regimen was suspended, and 187 subjects with tooth stain were entered into a six-week clinical trial where they were randomized to either a silica-based tartar control whitening dentifrice or a marketed regular dentifrice control, balancing for stain levels and smoking status. At baseline, three and six weeks, stain area and stain intensity were measured on the 8 anterior teeth using the Lobene Index. After six weeks' use, composite Lobene means were 35% lower for the whitening dentifrice compared to the regular control. In addition to the overall reductions, there were statistically significant reductions in stain area (p < 0.015) and stain intensity (p < 0.01) at both three and six weeks. The tartar control whitening dentifrice was effective in removing stain on the gingival margins and elsewhere on the body of the tooth. Safety profiles for the two test dentifrices were generally similar. After three and six weeks' use, the tartar control whitening dentifrice reduced chlorhexidine and tea stain compared to the marketed control.