Controlled clinical evaluation of a 10% strontium chloride dentifrice in treatment of dentin hypersensitivity following periodontal surgery.

Sixty adult patients were examined for dentin hypersensitivity prior to periodontal surgery. Stimuli used included mechanical, cold water and compressed air blasts. A subjective assessment of the degree of hypersensitivity for each stimulus was recorded. This presurgical examination revealed 249 hypersensitive areas among 60 subjects. Following surgery there was over a 100% increase in the pain (hypersensitivity) score. Desensitization with a 10% strontium chloride hexahydrate dentifrice was begun 1 week after surgical treatment. After 7 weeks of dentifrice use the pain score was reduced 75.5% in the test group. This was a reduction to a point below the preoperative level. The placebo group showed a reduction of 34.2% which was still above the preoperative level. These results agree with other clinical studies that have demonstrated a desensitizing effect of strontium chloride.