Toothpaste abrasive requirements to control naturally stained pellicle. The relation of cleaning power to toothpaste abrasivity.

Toothpaste abrasivity should be sufficiently high to give effective cleaning without causing mechanical damage to tooth tissue. A clinical trial carried out to measure the cleaning power of calcium carbonate toothpastes of different abrasivity is described; cleaning power is then related to in vitro dentine abrasivity measurements. These findings are used to derive an expression specifying the toothpaste cleaning power which ensures that a chosen low and cosmetically acceptable level of stain is not exceeded providing a consistent daily brushing routine is adhered to.