2001 Volume 51 Issue 1 Pages 48-56
This study evaluated the clinical efficacy of the dentifrice on the improvement of mild gingivitis containing exothermic zeolite. Seventy subjects who had mild gingivitis were selected and divided into two groups for 32 days-clinical test by a randomized method. One group used the dentifrice containing 0.01% benzethonium chloride, 0.1% dl-α-tocopheryl acetate and 0.01% β-glycyrrhetinic acid (the control dentifrice), and another group used the dentifrice containing 20% exothermic zeolite in addition to the ingredients indicated above (the test dentifrice). During brushing with the test dentifrice, the temperature of the papilla between the maxillary canine and lateral incisor remained 38.5±0.7℃. For the control dentifrice, the temperature remained 34.6±0.5℃. There was a significant difference between the test dentifrice and the control dentifrice (p<0.05). After 32 days, both dentifrices caused a significant decrease in the modified gingival index (MGI) (p<0.05) and plaque score (Quigley & Hein's Plaque Scoring System) (p<0.01). In the case of the test dentifrice, MGI was decreased significantly at sites with bleeding after 10 days, and decreased significantly at the sites without bleeding after 32 days, whereas there was no significant difference for control dentifrice. These results show that the dentifrice with exothermic zeolite improved mild gingivitis, and was more effective than the dentifrice which contained only anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial agents. It suggests that the thermal stimulation derived from the exothermic effect of the zeolite may be related to the improvement of gingivitis.