The Cleaning and Whitening Ability of Charcoal Containing Toothpastes and Homeopathic Remedies on Human Tooth Enamel

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research was to determine the cleaning and whitening ability of two charcoal containing toothpastes compared with baking soda, activated charcoal and a hydrogen peroxide containing whitening toothpaste. Tea-stained enamel/dentin slices were mounted dentin side down in cylinders of auto-polymerizing acrylic and subjected to simulated brushin g. Total color, ΔE, and stained area were measured using a reflectance spectrophotometer and ImageJ software using a Hue, Chroma, and Brightness color threshold method; respectively, at prescribed brushing intervals of baseline, months 1, 6 and 12. A two- w ay repeated measure analysis of variance was performed, with included factors being toothpaste group and time. Statistical analys is revealed the included factor of brushing time interval was significant (p<0.05) for both ΔE and stained area. There was significant interaction for both main effects (p<0.05) for the dependent variable of stained area alone. Significant reduction in ΔE values occurred in all groups except Optic White at the 1-month interval. Statistically significant reduction in stained area occurred at 1-mon th for the baking soda group only. Post-hoc Tukey HSD tests revealed there was significant group*time interaction for baking soda at month 1 for the variable stained area. The charcoal containing (Crest 3D with Charcoal and Colgate Essentials) and non-charcoal contai ning toothpastes (Optic White) only produced a significant stain removal at the 6-month interval.

RESUMEN: El propósito de esta investigación fue determinar la capacidad de limpieza y blanqueamiento de dos pastas dentales que contienen carbón en comparación con bicarbonato de sodio, carbón activado y una pasta dental blanqueadora que contiene peróxido de hidrógeno. Los cortes de esmalte/dentina teñidos con té se montaron con el lado de la dentina hacia abajo, en cilindros de acrílico autopolimerizable y se sometieron a un cepillado simulado. El color total, ΔE y el área teñida se midieron usando un espectrofotómetro de reflectancia y el software ImageJ usando un método de umbral de color de tono, croma y brillo; respectivamente, en los intervalos de cepillado prescritos al inicio, los meses 1, 6 y 12. Se realizó un análisis de varianza de medidas repetidas de dos vías, con factores incluidos como el grupo de pasta de dientes y el tiempo. El análisis estadístico reveló que el factor incluido del intervalo de tiempo de cepillado fue significativo (p<0,05) tanto para ΔE como para el área manchada. Hubo interacción significativa para ambos efectos principales (p<0,05) para la variable dependiente del área teñida sola. Se produjo una reducción significativa en los valores de ΔE en todos los grupos excepto Optic White en el intervalo de 1 mes. Se produjo una reducción estadísticamente significativa en el área manchada al mes solo para el grupo de bicarbonato de sodio. Las pruebas post-hoc Tukey HSD revelaron que hubo una interacción significativa entre grupo y tiempo para el bicarbonato de sodio en el mes 1 para el área manchada variable. Las pastas dentales que contenían carbón (Crest 3D con Charcoal y Colgate Essentials) y las pastas de dientes que no contenían carbón (Optic White) solo produjeron una eliminación significativa de las manchas en el intervalo de 6 meses.

Dissolution of human enamel in still flavoured water drinks in vitro

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the erosive potential of these drinks using human enamel in vitro. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A range of bottled, still flavoured water drinks available in the UK were investigated and their erosive potential was compared by measuring pH and titratable acidity. Six beverages were chosen for the main study and also both a negative (distilled water) and positive control (orange juice). Human enamel specimens were prepared, sectioned and varnished leaving an exposure window visible to have contact with test solutions. Each specimen was randomly allocated in groups of six. Each group was exposed to 20 ml of one of the eight test solutions for 10, 30, 60 and 90 min. Quantitative light-induced fluorescence was used to ensure the teeth selected were free of artefacts and diseased areas. Erosion was measured using non-contact optical profilometry. RESULTS: Enamel loss occurred with all test drinks and the positive control (p<0.05) and in most cases the still water drinks were just as erosive as the positive control. Only vitamin water at 30 min was not significantly different from the negative control (p= 0.86), All drinks tested resulted in significant enamel loss (p<0.01). These results may indicate that consumers should think of still water beverages as potentially acidic drinks rather than just flavoured healthy water alternatives. CONCLUSION: This study indicates the need for preventive advice to be given by dentists about such beverages and therefore ultimately to make patients and consumers more aware of hidden erosive risks.