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Notes: Abstract Numerous desensitizing agents have been utilized in an effort to alleviate the discomfort associated with cervical dentine sensitivity (CDS). Recently several new tubule-occluding and sealant systems have been marketed for treatment. The aim of this study was to compare two desensitizing agents (ALL-BOND 2 and Butler Protect) in a 3-month clinical study. Ten subjects (6F; 4M mean age 45.1 years (SD 8.81) who had provided voluntary written informed consent participated in a single-blind 3-month clinical study. Subjects were evaluated for tactile (Yeaple probe) and air sensitivity (dental air syringe) together with subjective perception of pain (VAS scores) at 0.5 min, 1, 2 and 3 months. There was an overall trend in reduction of CDS over the study period in all groups with no significant differences detected between groups. The results suggested that while subjects reported overall reductions in sensitivity levels, this may not necessarily be substantiated when assessed objectively. Furthermore, there appeared to be a strong placebo effect in this study.

Notes: Abstract This study compared 2 proprietary chlorhexidine (CH) products, Corsodyl (CO - 0.2% CH. then ICI. U.K.) and Eludril (EL - 0.1% CH. Pierre Fabre. France) as subgingival irrigants adjunctive to Simplified Oral Hygiene. 19 subjects. 8M, HE aged 30-57 years, mean 44 years, took part. Probing pocket depth (PPD) ranged from 5-10 mm, mean 6.5 mm (CO and EL), with 60 CO and 65 EL sites. After oral hygiene instruction, without stress on interdental cleaning, patients received one visit supra- and subgingival debridement. and instruction in subgingival irrigation using the Max-I-Probe system (Smith & Nephew MPL, USA). For baseline, days 28 (end of irrigation). 56 and 84. data were respectively: GI (medians): 1.7. 1.2. 1.2. 1.0 (CO). 1.9. 1.5, 1.3. 1.0 EL): BOP (medians): 1.2, 0.4. 0.7. 0.4 (CO), 1.5. 0.6. 0.6, 0.25 (EL): PPD (mm) (means): 6.3. 4.8, 4.2, 4.5 (CO). 6.8, 5.2, 5.3. 4.7 (EL); PAL (mm) (means-change relative to day 0): 0.6, 0.5. 0.8 (CO), 0.8. 0.8. 1.5 (EL). By Wilcoxon for non-parametric and /-tests for parametric data, both groups showed significant improvement for all variables at all times relative to baseline, with only one significant difference between the groups, in favour of EL, for PAL at day 84 (p〈0.05). This pilot study indicates that both simplified oral hygiene regimes are effective in periodontitis. but that there was no difference between the 2 commercial irrigants as adjunctives.

Notes: Abstract This study compared CPITN with plaque index (PII), gingival index (GI), papilla bleeding index (PBI), and probeable pocket depth (PPD). 52 patients were examined, mean age 43 years. Partial mouth random recording (2 upper and 1 lower or 1 upper and 2 lower sextants) was made by CPITN of 150 sextants, and at 6 sites around each tooth in each sextant for each index using a pressure-sensitive probe, with Newman tip and Williams markings, and a WHO 621 tip, probing pressure 0.25 N. Ranges of each index were compared with corresponding CPITN data. Most (71%) sextants had CPITN scores of 4, indicating periodontitis. None had CPITN scored 0 or 1. A given CPITN code was found to represent extremes of ranges for all other indices evaluated. There was no relation between CPITN and PII or GI, nor did CPITN reflect the number of sites affected per sextant, but there was a tendency for CPITN to relate with PBI and PPD. It was concluded that CPITN may be used as a general indicator of bleeding and pocket depth, but not of plaque or gingivitis. Other indices are required to reliably assess chronic inflammatory periodontal disease status in a given mouth.

Notes: Abstract Perioscan requires a plaque sample to detect the presence of enzymes capable of degrading N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-2-naphthylamide (BANA) from relatively few anaerobic periodontal pathogens. Periocheck assays the presence of neutral proteases in crevicular fluid. The aim of this study was to compare these test kits with traditional clinical methods of detecting periodontal disease and to monitor the ability of the kits to reflect the response to initial therapy. 19 patients with moderately severe chronic periodontitis were seen before and after a course of oral hygiene and root instrumentation consisting of 4 appointments. Clinical measurements and test assays were collected at 5 diseased sites and 2 healthy sites in each subject. Complete data from 125 sites were available for statistical analysis. At baseline Periocheck had a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 61% whereas Perioscan had a sensitivity of 99% and a specificity of 55%, when related to the clinical diagnosis. A composite clinical assessment, based on improvement or deterioration of one whole unit change of the subjective clinical indices and 2mm changes or greater in probing depth or probing attachment level, revealed 75 sites which improved following treatment, whereas 45 sites did not change and 5 sites deteriorated. The probability that the tests agreed with the clinical outcome after treatment, was calculated as 50.4% for Periocheck and 52% for Perioscan. The diagnostic kits did not reliably reflect the clinical assessment of periodontal disease in the cross sectional study, or the outcome following treatment.

Notes: Abstract 2 strontium chloride hexahydrate-containing dentifrices (SCH), similar except for their respective abrasive systems, were compared in a 2–month randomised double-blind parallel clinical study to evaluate their comparative effectiveness in terms of cervical dentinal hypersensitivity. 2 groups of 20 subjects, each with cervical dentinal hypersensitivity, were evaluated for tactile sensitivity by Yeaple probe, air sensitivity using a dental air syringe and subjective perception of pain by means of a visual analogue scale. There was no difference between the dentifrices as regards reduction of cervical dentinal hypersensitivity at each time point. The response to both dentifrices was evident within 4 weeks of use and the degree of improvement increased throughout the 8–week study period. The results support the conclusion that changing the abrasive component of SCH dentifrices did not significantly increase or decrease the (desensitizing) activity of the original product.

Notes: Abstract The reported prevalence of cervical dentine sensitivity (CDS) ranges from 8 to 35%. Detailed epidemiology of the condition, particularly with regard to possible causal factors, is lacking. In particular, no published data appear to exist on its prevalence in periodontal patients. The aim of the present study was therefore to determine the prevalence, distribution and severity of CDS in a population of patients referred to a Periodontology Department of a specialist postgraduate hospital. 507 patients (181 M: 326F, mean age 44.2 (SD 10.31) years) attending a periodontal clinic were assessed for CDS by a questionnaire. The results demonstrated a prevalence of CDS of 84% with no significant gender difference. 71.1% of patients perceived cold as the most common cause of discomfort. A higher prevalence of self-reported discomfort was observed between 40 and 49 years. Of the patients with a reported history of periodontal surgery (34.7%), those treated within 6 months prior to assessment appeared to be more at risk to CDS. Of the patients who received hygienist treatment (88.2%). only 10.5% reported discomfort persisting ≥3 days after treatment. Generally, patients who complained of varying degrees of discomfort over time (84.5%) did not perceive the condition as severe and consequently did not seek treatment. The prevalence of CDS in these referred patients was very high, suggesting that periodontal diseases and/or treatment effects play a role in its aetiology.

Notes: Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the effect of difference in tine diameter on probing pocket depth measurement. 2 sets of tines with Williams markings at 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 mm, and with a “round” tip, diameter 0.5 mm, were compared. One set was described as parallel-sided, the other as tapered. The parallel-sided tine was almost parallel from the 10 mm marking to the tip (tip diameter x̄= 0.46 mm, 95% C.I. 0.456–0.464), while the corresponding diameter for the tapered tine varied (tip diameter x̄= 0.48 mm, 95% C.I. 0.473–0.489). Calibration markings appeared highly consistent with the expected value to within 0.01 mm. The tines were mounted in Brodontic handles at 0.25 N. Examiner probing repeatability yielded κ 0.86 for “parallel-sided” and 0.81 for “tapered” tines in vivo. 412 approximal pockets were assessed in 53 patients with routine chronic adult periodontitis, mean age 42.1 years. Each site had a probing depth of ≥5 mm, P1I≤ 1, GI≥ 1, PBI≤ 1. Each site was probed 2 × with a 15-min interval. At the first 251 sites, the parallel-sided tine was used initially, and the tapered at the remaining 161 sites. Results indicated a highly significant tendency for the parallel-sided tine to yield a deeper reading when a difference occurred. These findings indicate that with adequate training providing high examiner repeatability, one source of error in probing data can be minimised.

Notes: Abstract. 2 strontium chloride hexahydrate-containing dentifrices (SCH), similar except for their respective abrasive systems, diatomaceous earth or silica-based, were compared for their effects on plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation as part of a 2-month randomised double-blind parallel clinical study. No attempt was made to change the patients' oral hygiene prior to participation in the study. Plaque was assessed using the Silness & Löe index and the gingival condition by the Löe & Silness index GI. There was a slight and non-significant increase in plaque accumulation at 2 weeks from baseline, but relatively negligible change thereafter, the effect being identical in both groups. Similarly, the gingival condition showed a slight index change from baseline, although it tended to be slightly higher in the diatomaceous earth group. The results do not support the conclusions of previous studies which indicated that SCH dentifrices increased plaque accumulation. Neither plaque accumulation nor gingival condition significantly changed from baseline levels during the course of the study.

Notes: Background, aims: Conventional treatment of chronic periodontitis involves mechanical debridement of periodontal pockets. Recently, subgingival antimicrobials have been used adjunctively following such debridement. This 2-centre study compared the clinical effects of subgingival scaling (SRP) with SRP plus subgingival application of 25% metronidazole gel, Elyzol® (SRP+gel), in patients with chronic adult periodontitis.Method: Voluntary informed written consent was obtained from 45 subjects at the Eastman (mean age 46, range 34–63) and 43 subjects at RAF Halton (mean age 47, range 34–71) who participated in this blind, randomised split-mouth design study. All had at least 2 sites in each quadrant with probing pocket depth (PPD) 〈inlineGraphic alt="geqslant R: gt-or-equal, slanted" extraInfo="nonStandardEntity" href="urn:x-wiley:03036979:JCPE27012910:ges" location="ges.gif"/〉5 mm. PPD, bleeding on probing (BOP), and clinical probing attachment levels (CAL) measured using a stent, were recorded at baseline and at 1, 3, 6 and 9 months post-therapy. After subgingival scaling of all quadrants, 2 quadrants were randomly selected to be treated with metronidazole gel.Results: A paired t-test on baseline values showed no bias between groups. Both treatments effectively reduced the signs of periodontitis. At each follow-up visit, reduction in PPD, CAL and BOP after the combined treatment was greater than for SRP alone. Paired t-tests showed that the improvement in the SRP+gel group was statistically significantly better (p〈0.001) than for SRP alone (mean 0.5±0.6 mm. 95% CI 0.4–0.6 mm.) Similarly, the % of sites which improved to a final pocket depth of 〈inlineGraphic alt="leqslant R: less-than-or-eq, slant" extraInfo="nonStandardEntity" href="urn:x-wiley:03036979:JCPE27012910:les" location="les.gif"/〉3 mm and the % of sites which improved over the 9 months of the study by as much as ≥2 mm were greater for SRP+gel than for SRP alone.Conclusions: At the end of the study, the mean reductions for PPD were 1.0 mm (SRP) compared to 1.5 mm (SRP+gel), and for CAL they were 0.4 mm (SRP) compared to 0.8 mm (SRP+gel), with mean difference for CAL between treatments of 0.4±0.6 mm (95% confidence intervals of 0.3–0.6 mm). The combination therapy of SRP+gel was superior to the conventional treatment of SRP alone, and these differences were maintained for 9 months.

Notes: summary  Previous in vitro permeability and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the oxalate ion in dentine permeability reduction and effective tubule occlusion. The aim of this randomized double-blind, split mouth 4-week clinical study, therefore was to determine whether a 1-min application of ferric oxalate (Sensodyne Sealant) on exposed root dentine was effective in reducing dentine hypersensitivity (DH). Thirteen subjects [8F:5M, mean age 46·2 (s.d. 4·15) years] completed the study. The subjective response was evaluated by tactile, thermal and evaporative methods of assessment. Data were collected at baseline and post-application at +5 min and 4 weeks. Analysis was based on paired t-test (P=0·05) and Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney tests. No statistically significant differences were noted between ferric oxalate and placebo preparations at +5 min and 4 weeks for any of the test stimuli. There was, however, a clear trend towards immediate reduction (+5 min) in DH reverting back to baseline values at 4 weeks with the exception of the Biomat Thermal Probe mean values, which maintained the reductions in DH compared with placebo. The results of the present study demonstrated that a 1-min application of ferric oxalate is both rapid and effective in reducing DH although its long-term effectiveness still needs to be determined.