The effect of an anticalculus dentifrice on supragingival calculus formation and gingival recession in Thai adults: a one-year study.

A one-year, double-blind clinical study was conducted on a population of male and female adults to determine the effect of the twice daily use of an anticalculus dentifrice on supragingival calculus formation and gingival recession, as compared to the use of a placebo dentifrice. The subjects were initially evaluated for calculus using the Volpe-Manhold scoring procedure and for gingival recession using the Gingival Recession Total (GRT) scoring procedure of Volpe, Triratana and Rustogi. All subjects received an oral prophylaxis and were assigned to the use of either a placebo dentifrice containing 0.243% sodium fluoride in a silica base or an anticalculus dentifrice containing 1.3% soluble pyrophosphate and 1.5% Gantrez copolymer in a 0.243% sodium fluoride/silica base. After six months, the subjects using the anticalculus dentifrice had 24.14% significantly less supragingival calculus than the placebo dentifrice subjects. After one year, the subjects using the anticalculus dentifrice had 40.76% significantly less supragingival calculus than the placebo dentifrice subjects. Also, after one year, the subjects using the anticalculus dentifrice had 27.75% significantly less gingival recession than the placebo dentifrice subjects.