Objective:

To investigate the short-term effects of different fluoride toothpaste formulations on total salivary calcium concentration following brushing.

Approach:

• Study Design: A randomized, 3-treatment, 3-period crossover trial involving 48 healthy participants.
• Participants: Mean age of 22.55 years; 54% women and 46% men, recruited from Witten/Herdecke University, Germany.
• Toothpaste Formulations: Participants used Dentalux, Parodontax, and Sensodyne in randomized order with a 2-day washout between treatments.
• Measurements: Unstimulated saliva was collected before brushing, immediately after, and at 30 and 60 minutes post-brushing.
• Analysis: Calcium concentrations were measured using a colorimetric assay and evaluated with linear mixed-effects models.

Key Findings:

• Immediately after brushing, salivary calcium concentration was 37.70 ppm with Sensodyne, 36.57 ppm with Dentalux, and 18.81 ppm with Parodontax.
• At 30 minutes, calcium concentrations were 39.74 ppm (Sensodyne), 39.15 ppm (Dentalux), and 35.82 ppm (Parodontax).
• By 60 minutes, no statistically significant differences in salivary calcium concentrations remained among the three formulations.

Interpretation:

The study found that different toothpaste formulations produced varying short-term effects on total salivary calcium, but these effects were transient and not sustained over time.

Limitations:

• Total salivary calcium was measured, not biologically active ionized calcium.
• Salivary flow rate, pH, phosphate, fluoride, and buffering capacity were not assessed.
• The sample consisted of healthy young adults from a single university, limiting generalizability.
• Only short-term effects were evaluated, leaving long-term implications unknown.

Conclusion:

The observed effects of toothpaste formulations on salivary calcium were transient, and further studies are needed to explore potential long-term oral health effects.

Sources:

• PLOS One