Responsiveness of the Brazilian version of the dentine hypersensitivity experience questionnaire (DHEQ-15): a triple-blind randomized controlled clinical trial

The aim of this study was to validate the responsiveness of the Brazilian version of the DHEQ-15. Adult participants with dentine hypersensitivity (DH) in more than one tooth were included. They were randomized into two groups: Gluma or placebo (saline solution), with allocation concealed until the time of intervention. The desensitizing agent was applied according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, and the placebo followed the same application protocol. All participants completed the DHEQ-15 at baseline and 30 days after treatment. DH was assessed by tactile and evaporative tests before treatment and 30 days post-treatment. The psychometric properties and responsiveness of the Brazilian version of the DHEQ-15 were verified using Cronbach’s α, ICC, Spearman correlation, Wilcoxon test, effect size (Cohen’s d), MID (minimally important difference), and score change. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. The sample consisted of 147 (77.8%) women and 42 (22.2%) men, with a mean age of 31 years (± 11.7). There was a significant reduction in DH levels ( p < 0.001) and in the DHEQ-15 domains ( p < 0.001) after treatment with Gluma. In the placebo group, there was no significant difference in pain level ( p > 0.05) or in the DHEQ-15 score ( p > 0.05). The overall α was 0.905. The effect size ranged from 0.568 to 1.043 in the Gluma group and was lower than 0.296 in the control group. The MID for the total DHEQ-15 score was 13.78. Spearman correlations between DHEQ-15 and DH were weak to moderate (rₛ = 0.246–0.501; p < 0.001), while ICC ranged from 0.348 to 0.473. The Brazilian version of the DHEQ-15 proved to be valid and responsive to changes in DH after treatment. This study was prospectively registered on the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC) platform, under the identifier RBR-9fmjf77 ( https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-9fmjf77 ). Date of registration: March 31, 2024.