Presenters: Catania Stevens
Authors: Catania Stevens, Brylee Eardley
Faculty Advisor: Brenda Armstrong
Institution: Dixie State University
Sensitivity typically affects adults between the ages of 30 and 60. Approximately 63% to 90% of patients experience sensitivity following non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). Although dentin hypersensitivity following quad scaling is a recurrent adverse effect, there is not a gold standard of treatment. This study investigated which treatment for dental hypersensitivity (DH) proved most effective, comparing at-home treatments as well as in-office treatments. The research was obtained using primary studies through PubMed and Google Scholar. Six articles were used to compare the efficiency of dental hypersensitivity treatments. In-office treatments include a diode laser, Gluma, and fluoride varnish. At-home treatment includes stannous fluoride, arginine, and calcium sodium phosphosilicate (CSPS) in the form of toothpaste. The research showed that a high-powered laser was more effective than a placebo in reducing DH. In several studies, stannous fluoride was found to be superior to arginine, potassium stannous, and the control. When comparing arginine paste was significantly more effective than Gluma and CSPS. When comparing Gluma and a diode laser, Gluma was found to be more effective in the reduction of DH. When comparing milk to lukewarm, milk was found to be more effective long-term than lukewarm water in reducing DH. Based on the studies compared there was no stand-out treatment for DH due to individual patient perception, placebo, and the use of different stimuli for detecting DH. However, all treatments significantly reduced DH. The dental professional will likely need to use the process of elimination in deciding the best agent for each patient in treating DH.