Effect of brushing force on the abrasive dentin wear using slurries with different abrasivity values

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the resulting abrasive dentin wear using abrasive slurries with different RDA values and applying increasing brushing forces. METHODS: Forty‐five bovine incisors were randomly allocated in three groups (A, B, C, n = 15). One hundred and eighty dentin samples were prepared from these incisors and allocated to twelve groups (A1‐A4, B1‐B4, C1‐C4; n = 15). The groups were subjected to a brushing cycle (120 strokes/min, 25 min) as follows: groups A1 to A4 with an abrasive slurry (RDA = 71) applying increasing brushing forces (1, 2, 3 and 4 N). Groups B1 to B4 were brushed using an abrasive slurry (RDA = 85) and C1 to C4 (RDA = 133) applying the same above‐mentioned brushing forces. Abrasive dentin wear was recorded using a stylus profilometer and compared amongst the groups using robust models. Pairwise comparisons in each model were tested and corrected after Tukey’s method (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Applying 1‐N brushing force resulted in the same amount of abrasive dentin wear in all groups regardless of the abrasivity of the used slurry. Increasing the brushing force to 2 N resulted in statistically significantly higher abrasive wear in all groups. This increase in abrasive wear was much higher when the slurry with high abrasivity was used (RDA = 133) compared with the lower abrasive slurry (RDA = 71). CONCLUSION: The abrasivity of the used slurry does not add to the resulting abrasive wear when the brushing force is kept at 1 N. It seems better to advise and help the patients (showing signs of non‐carious cervical lesions) calibrating their brushing force to 1 N, than only to advise them to use toothpastes with lower abrasivities.