Combined effects of electric toothbrushing and dentifrice on artificial stain removal: An in vitro study

BACKGROUND: This in vitro study aimed to clarify the combined effect of electric toothbrushing and dentifrice on the removal of artificial stain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-five bovine incisors were cut at the cervix and the crown was embedded in auto-cured acrylic resin. Specimens were abraded using #240 SiC paper to obtain a flat enamel surface, and 20 specimens were treated with 10% citric acid / 3% ferric chloride solution followed by 1% tannic acid solution to produce surface staining. They were divided into four groups: 1) brushing with an electric toothbrush and whitening dentifrice (group S+B); 2) brushing with an electric toothbrush and fluoride dentifrice (group S+C); 3) brushing with an electric toothbrush and no dentifrice (group S); and 4) no brushing (control group). The remaining five specimens were used as a baseline. Color values (L*, a*, and b* were measured before brushing (0 min), and at 1 min, 5 min, 10 min, and 20 min using a microscopic area spectrophotometer. The color change (ΔE) was calculated by subtracting the baseline values from the final color values obtained at each time point. The data were statistically analyzed using two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance and Tukey’s honest significant difference test as a post hoc test (p<0.05). RESULTS: The L* values of groups S+B and S+C increased over time (p<0.05), but no significant differences were observed in group S and the control group at any of the time points (p>0.05). Groups S+B and S+C demonstrated greater ΔE values than group S. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of electric toothbrushing and dentifrice removed the artificial stain more effectively than brushing without dentifrice. However, the stain removal was limited. The two dentifrices evaluated in this study exhibited similar stain removal effects. Key words:Color change, stain removal, dentifrice, electric toothbrush, whitening effect.