Effects of an Ascorbic Acid–Derivative Dentifrice in Patients With Gingivitis: A Double-Masked, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial

Background: Reactive oxygen species might be associated with the onset and progression of gingival inflammation. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a dentifrice containing l-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate magnesium salt (APM), a long-acting ascorbic acid derivative with antioxidant properties, on gingival inflammation.Methods: The clinical effects of APM were investigated in a multicenter, randomized, parallel-group, controlled clinical trial comprising 300 individuals with gingivitis. Half of the participants were given an APM-containing dentifrice and half were given a control dentifrice. The primary outcome was the gingival index (GI) at 3 months. Secondary outcomes included gingival redness as an indicator of the degree of local gingival inflammation, gingival bleeding as a measure of the gingivitis severity index, and total antioxidant activity of the saliva.Results: Under the intent-to-treat analysis, GI did not significantly differ between the groups (P = 0.12). However, under the per...