A dentifrice containing 0.454% weight/weight stannous fluoride displayed superiority to a standard dentifrice to manage supra-gingival plaque and gingivitis, over 24-weeks. 

A 24-week randomized controlled trial was performed to investigate gingivitis and the percentage of individuals moving between gingivitis severity (< 10, > 10 < 30, > 30% bleeding sites), and plaque decline, after twice-daily usage of an experimental non-aqueous stannous fluoride dentifrice (0.454% weight/weight), vs. a negative control dentifrice over 12 and 24 weeks.

This single-center, examiner-blinded, stratified, two-treatment arm, parallel-group analysis recruited adults suffering from moderate gingivitis. At baseline, after avoiding from tooth brushing overnight, the participants were assessed for the modified gingival index, bleeding index, and plaque index. The eligible participants, who fulfilled the inclusion/exclusion criteria, were stratified on the basis of gender and baseline mean modified gingival index score (low ≤2.00 /high > 2.00) and randomized to therapy.

After randomization, the participants underwent flossing and complete dental prophylaxis. Following 12 and 24 weeks of twice-daily brushing with their assigned therapy, the participants came back to the site (with overnight plaque, avoided oral hygiene procedures for eight hours before the visit) for the modified gingival index, bleeding index, and plaque index evaluations. The therapeutic effect was determined by evaluating modified gingival index, bleeding index, and plaque index scores. In total, 129 participants were screened; 98 participants were randomized and 90 participants finished the trial.

For all the outcome measures (modified gingival index, bleeding index, bleeding sites, and plaque index at weeks 12 and 24), substantial differences were noted between the therapies, in favor of stannous fluoride dentifrice compared to the negative control dentifrice, as shown in the following table:

At 24 weeks, 71% of subjects in the stannous fluoride therapy group displayed a level of bleeding sites representative of clinical periodontal health (< 10%) after dental prophylaxis and 24 weeks of the product usage.

Dentifrice containing 0.454% weight/weight stannous fluoride can effectively manage patients with gingivitis and supra-gingival plaque.