A Six-Week Study to Evaluate the Anticalculus Efficacy of a Chewing Gum Containing Pyrophosphate and Tripolyphosphate

Objective: A six-week, double-blind, cross-over clinical study was conducted to compare the effect of a new chewing gum containing pyrophosphate (1%) and tripolyphosphate (1%), versus a control chewing gum on supragingival calculus deposits. Methodology: Twenty-eight adult subjects (mean age 34 ± 8 years) who entered the study were given a full oral prophylaxis and were assigned to chew two pieces of gum, four times a day for five minutes. The gum, either a test chewing gum or placebo chewing gum, was randomly assigned and the subjects were directed to chew their assigned gum for six weeks. All participants also received a 12-week supply of a sodium fluoride (0.32%) dentifrice (Colgate). They were then scored for calculus deposits using the modified Volpe-Manhold Calculus Index (VMI) by the same two examiners. At the end of the first six weeks, the subjects received a second oral prophylaxis and used the alternate chewing gum for a second six-week period of time. The subjects were again scored for calculus deposits and the study was completed. Results: The results demonstrated a mean VMI of 3.65 ± 2.82 for the test group, and a mean of 4.24 ± 3.25 for the placebo group. This difference was significant with paired sample t-test (p < 0.001). Conclusion: These results indicated that chewing gum containing pyrophosphate and tripolyphosphate reduced supragingival calculus formation by 13.9%, compared to the placebo chewing gum

Anticalculus Efficacy of a Chewing Gum with Polyphosphates in a Twelve-Week Single-Blind Trial

Objective: A twelve-week clinical study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a chewing gum containing pyrophosphate (1%) and tripolyphosphate (1%) on controlling supragingival calculus deposits. Methodology: One-hundred and seventeen subjects enrolled in the study were randomly assigned to either a test gum or no gum group. Each participant received a full oral prophylaxis. Those chewing the test gum agreed to chew four times a day for five minutes each time over twelve weeks. Those assigned to the no gum group agreed not to chew any gum. After twelve weeks, participants were scored for calculus deposits using the modified Volpe-Manhold Calculus Index (VMI), received a second oral prophylaxis and entered the alternate group in this cross-over format. At the end of the twenty-fourth week, all subjects were again scored for calculus deposits and the study was completed. All participants received a supply of a sodium fluoride (0.32%) dentifrice for the study period. Calculus levels were scored by the same examiner for all measurements and recorded on computer. He was blinded to all treatment assignments. Results: One-hundred and eleven participants completed the study. Six participants left the study but none reported problems linked to the pyrophosphates in the chewing gum. The VMI mean score for the test gum group was 2.55 (± 2.50) and the mean score for the no gum group was 4.09 (± 3.18). The difference between the mean scores was highly significant with paired sample t-test (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The results indicated that a chewing gum containing tripolyphosphate and pyrophosphate reduced calculus formation by 37.6% compared to a no gum treatment