Anticaries and hard tissue abrasion effects of a "dual-action" whitening, sodium hexametaphosphate tartar control dentifrice.

A series of "profile" laboratory studies was conducted to confirm the anticaries potential and hard tissue safety of a novel sodium hexametaphosphate dentifrice technology which provides dual-action tooth whitening (i.e., stain prevention as well as stain removal), while simultaneously providing improved anticalculus action. Under remineralization pH cycling conditions, the dual-action whitening dentifrice produced lesion fluoridation comparable to a conventional NaF dentifrice. Under lesion progression pH cycling conditions, the dual-action whitening dentifrice produced enamel protection against caries initiation and progression comparable to a conventional NaF dentifrice, as well as comparable to a conventional tartar control dentifrice, also containing NaF. These results are consistent with clinical data supporting the anticaries effectiveness of NaF dentifrices combined with anionic tartar control inhibitors, such as pyrophosphate. Abrasion assessments were made using Radioactive Dentin and Enamel Abrasivity (RDA and REA) methods. These laboratory studies demonstrated that the new, dual-action whitening dentifrice produces dentin and enamel abrasivity similar to conventional silica-based dentifrice formulations. These in vitro studies verify the anticaries potential and demonstrate the hard tissue safety of the dual-action, sodium hexametaphosphate dentifrice.