Randomized controlled trial to evaluate tooth stain reduction with nicotine replacement gum during a smoking cessation program.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide), published as a randomized controlled trial.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Nicorette(®) Freshmint Gum used in a smoking cessation programme administered in a dental setting, on extrinsic stain and tooth shade among smokers.

Why It Was Studied

In addition to its general and periodontal health effects smoking causes tooth staining.

Oral health professionals are well placed to provide smoking cessation advice and support to patients.

Who Took Part

Participants were randomised to use either the Nicorette(®) Freshmint Gum or Nicorette(®) Microtab (tablet).

Treatments were compared using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), using treatment and nicotine dependence as factors and the corresponding baseline measurement as a covariate.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, single-blind and parallel-group study.

Because people in this Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

In this single-blind Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) study one party knew the assignments and the other did not.

Groups ran in parallel: each of the participants stayed in one arm throughout.

Tooth staining and shade were rated using the modified Lobene Stain Index and the Vita(®) Shade Guide at baseline, weeks 2, 6 and 12.

To maintain consistency with other whitening studies, the primary end-point was the mean change in stain index between baseline and week 6.

Each comparison (modified intention-to-treat) was tested at the 0.05 level, two-sided.

Within-treatment changes from baseline were compared using a paired t-test.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Carbon Monoxide, Chewing Gum, Cuspid, Gastrointestinal Diseases, Headache, Incisor and Smoking Cessation.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, single-blind and parallel-group study of Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide).

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 4 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2012 (BMC oral health), a journal based in England.

More context: the Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) compound page, all human trials.