The Sensitivity-Reducing Effect of a Dental Rinse Containing Aluminum Lactate on Dentinal Hypersensitivity

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a dental rinse containing aluminum lactate for daily home care of dentinal hypersensitivity in a 6-week, double-blind study. Eightyfour subjects who complained of dentinal hypersensitivity to cold and/or tactile stimuli were randomly divided into two groups: one being given a dental rinse containing 2.18% aluminum lactate (test group) and the other a vehicle control dental rinse (control group). The hypersensitivity levels o f the affected teeth were assessed by application of tactile, cold air and cold water stimuli at a baseline, and after 2, 4 and 6 weeks. The hypersensitivity scores of both groups were significantly decreased, time-dependently, at weeks 2, 4 and 6 as compared to the baseline data. The reduction rates of the hypersensitivity scores for tactile and cold air stimuli in the test group were significantly higher than those in the control group at week 6. The reduction rates in the test group at week 6 were 75.3% for the tactile stimulus, 64.1% for the cold air stimulus and 67.0% for the cold water stimulus. A white spot was temporarily formed on the inner lip of a subject in the test group, although a causal relationship between the white spot and the dental rinse was not clear. No other side effects were observed during the experimental periods. These findings suggest that daily home use of this dental rinse containing aluminum lactate was effective for the treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity.