Gingival hypersensitivity reactions to toothpastes: A case series and scoping review

BACKGROUND:Hypersensitivity reactions to toothpastes are rare. The objective of this study was to present the authors' clinical cases in the past 10 years and perform a scoping review of gingival hypersensitivity responses to toothpastes. TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED:The authors reviewed records of documented gingival hypersensitivity reactions to dentifrices at the Postgraduate Clinic of Oral Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain, from January 2013 through December 2022. Furthermore, the authors conducted a search in PubMed with no date limit for articles reporting these hypersensitivity responses up through October 18, 2023. RESULTS:Eleven cases were collected from the clinic. Eight gingival hypersensitivity reactions occurred in women, and 6 were associated with cinnamon. The most frequent lesions diagnosed were red gingiva. The discontinuation of the toothpaste led to the disappearance of the lesions. The search yielded 643 references. Thirteen articles were included in the scoping review, all of them case series and case reports, reporting 32 cases. Lesions affected middle-aged women most frequently, the most common hypersensitivity reaction was gingival redness, and the cases implicated toothpastes containing cinnamon and herbal composition. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS:This study provides clues for diagnosing and treating hypersensitivity reactions to toothpastes, which may improve the identification, management, and reporting of these cases.