Effects of a Novel Mouthwash on Dental Remineralization

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to evaluate the in vivo effects of a novel mouthwash on enamel remineralization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten healthy volunteers wore removable intra-oral appliances for three study arms with duration of 5 days each. In 1 study arm, subjects used Oral Essentials Sensitivity Formula(R) mouthwash; in another arm they used Sensodyne(R) mouthwash, and in the third arm they used no mouthwash at all. Sequence of mouthwash use was randomized, and study participants and researchers were blinded throughout the study. Subjects used Crest Total Care(R) toothpaste throughout the study. During a one week washout period before study begin and between each study arm, subjects also used Crest Total Care(R) toothpaste. A total of 300 enamel samples were included in this study, 150 served as baseline controls, and 150 as test samples subjected to demineralization prior to intra-oral wear. At the end of each study arm, enamel chips were removed from the appliance and underwent standard Microhardness (Knoop) measurements, as did the control samples. Enamel microhardness in the test vs the 2 control groups was compared using the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance with post-hoc Tukey’s test to test for differences in remineralization between the 3 treatments. RESULTS: Both mouthwashes demonstrated similar levels of recovery from demineralization as the “no mouthwash” arm of the study, with no significant differences for all groupings and comparisons (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: A novel mouthwash for sensitive teeth supports enamel recovery from demineralization.