Clinical investigation of oral malodor during long-term use of arginine-containing dentifrices.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether the long term use of two dentifrices containing arginine, an insoluble calcium compound, and fluoride: (1) 1.5% arginine and 1450 ppm F as sodium monofluorophosphate (NaMFP) in a dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (dical) base, and (2) 8.0% arginine and 1450 ppm F as NaMFP in a calcium carbonate base, results in an increase in oral malodor potentially associated with increased ammonia production from breakdown of arginine, as compared to a commercially available fluoride dentifrice without arginine (1450 ppm F as NaMFP in a dical base), after 6 months of product use.

METHODS: A 6-month clinical study, with 119 subjects, was conducted in Chengdu, China, using a double blind, randomized, parallel, three-treatment design. A panel of four expert judges used a nine-point hedonic scale to evaluate breath odor using a protocol designed in concordance with the ADA Acceptance Program Guidelines for Product Used in the Management of Oral Malodor. After a baseline evaluation, study subjects who scored above the threshold value for unpleasant breath odor were stratified by score and randomized into one of three treatment groups. Subjects were provided with a soft-bristled manual toothbrush (Colgate Classic Clean Toothbrush) and brushed their teeth thoroughly in their regular and customary manner for 1 minute with their assigned dentifrice, twice daily. Before breath-odor evaluations, the subjects refrained from eating odorigenic foods and did not use dental hygiene procedures, breath mints, or mouth rinses for 48 hours and 12 hours, respectively.

RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in oral malodor levels among subjects using the three dentifrices after 1, 3 and 6 months of product use.