Short-term Efficacy of Agents Containing KNO3 or CPP-ACP in Treatment of Dentin Hypersensitivity.

The Chinese Journal of Dental Research Abrasion, attrition, erosion, gingival recession, tooth-whitening procedures and direct and indirect restorations contribute to the loss of enamel and cementum, exposing dentinal tubules to the oral environment4. When thermal, osmotic, and mechanical stimuli (such as tooth brushing, sweet and sour foods or hot and cold water) are applied to exposed dentin, the patient feels a short sharp pain, or dentin hypersensitivity. The treatment for dentin hypersensitivity is variable. Treatment methods include laser irradiation, iontophoresis, root coverage and desensitising agents, such as strontium chloride, potassium nitrate and formalin5-7. Although the exact mechanism underlying the desensitising agents is still not fully understood, it is thought that those agents act by one of the following mechanisms: blocking the dentinal tubules through coating; altering the tubular content through coagulation, protein precipitation or the creation of insoluble calcium complexes; or direct interference of sensory nerve activity. 1 The People’s Hospital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region North Hospital, Department of Stomatology, Urumqi, P.R. China. 2 Key Lab for Oral Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P.R. China. 3 Department of Restorative Dentistry, Indiana University School of Dentistry. Indianapolis, USA.