This study was undertaken to establish the
tartar control efficacy and long-term safety of a new
tartar control
dentifrice that was formulated to enhance aesthetics and consumer acceptability. In a partially randomized, examiner-blind clinical trial, the experimental
dentifrice,
Crest MultiCare with 3.3%
pyrophosphate, was compared to two currently marketed control
dentifrices,
Crest Regular Paste or Crest
Tartar Protection
Paste with 5.0%
pyrophosphate. The eight-month trial model included a two-month pretest period to establish
calculus formation after prophylaxis, followed by a six-month test period to evaluate efficacy and safety. Following the pretest period, 456 subjects were allocated to one of the three treatment groups and then monitored for
calculus accumulation. After three and six months' test product use, the
Crest MultiCare group experienced reductions in
calculus accumulation of 28.9% and 32.3%, respectively compared to the regular control
dentifrice. Over the six-month observation period, the experimental
tartar control and the marketed
tartar control
dentifrices were comparable on adverse event frequency, type or severity, and no subject discontinued treatment due to an oral soft tissue adverse event. In this partially randomized and controlled six-month clinical trial, this new
dentifrice exhibited
tartar control efficacy, with a comparable overall safety profile to a marketed
tartar control
dentifrice.