Effect of whitening products on sound enamel and on artificial caries lesions during a cariogenic challenge.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of fluoride-containing whitening products on sound enamel and on artificial caries lesions during a cariogenic challenge.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Bovine enamel specimens (n = 120) with three areas [non-treated sound enamel (NSE), treated sound enamel (TSE), and treated artificial caries lesion (TACL)] were randomly assigned to the four groups: whitening mouthrinse (WM: 2.5% hydrogen peroxide-100 ppm F), placebo mouthrinse (PM: 0% hydrogen peroxide-100 ppm F), whitening gel (WG: 10% carbamide peroxide-1130 ppm F), and deionized water (negative control; NC). The treatments (2 min for WM, PM, and NC, and 2 h for WG) were carried out during a 28-day pH-cycling model (6 × 60 min demineralization/day). Relative surface reflection intensity (rSRI) and transversal microradiography (TMR) analyses were performed. Fluoride uptake (surface and subsurface) was measured in additional enamel specimens.

RESULTS

For TSE, a higher value of rSRI was observed in WM (89.99% ± 6.94), and a greater decrease in rSRI was observed for WG and NC, and no sign of mineral loss was verified for all groups (p > 0.05). For TACL, rSRI significantly decreased after pH-cycling for all experimental groups with no difference between them (p < 0.05). Higher amounts of fluoride were found in WG. WG and WM exhibited intermediate values of mineral loss, similar to PM.

CONCLUSIONS

The whitening products did not potentialize the enamel demineralization under a severe cariogenic challenge, and they did not exacerbate mineral loss of the artificial caries lesions.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Low concentrated hydrogen peroxide whitening gel and mouthrinse containing fluoride do not intensify the progression of caries lesions.