Regular use of an effective oral rinse (0.12%
chlorhexidine [CHX]) may be accompanied by tooth staining and slightly increased
calculus formation. Since
dentifrices containing soluble
pyrophosphates are known to significantly reduce
calculus formation, this study was designed to investigate whether CHX-induced staining and increased
calculus may be reduced by the use of such
dentifrices. The study compared
stain and
calculus formation in 163 subjects using a CHX oral rinse (
Peridex, Procter & Gamble) according to label directions and either a
pyrophosphate-containing anticalculus
toothpaste (
Tartar-Control Crest, 3.3%
pyrophosphate) or an otherwise similar
toothpaste without
pyrophosphate (Regular Crest). Subjects were instructed to brush and floss ad lib and were examined after three and six months. Whole-mouth
calculus occurrence was significantly reduced in the anticalculus
toothpaste group at three and six months. Also, staining on the cosmetically important facial-anterior surfaces was significantly reduced at the 3-month examination. After six months the difference in facial anterior staining was still directionally favorable to the anticalculus
toothpaste group but no longer statistically significant. These results indicate that routine brushing with an anticalculus
toothpaste such as
Tartar-Control Crest significantly reduces both facial-anterior staining and
calculus occurrence in subjects using a CHX oral rinse. Whether more frequent or more thorough brushing would lead to still greater reductions remains to be investigated.