Whitening Efficacy of 3% Carbamide Peroxide Gel Activated by Lactoperoxidase

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a whitening toothpaste containing 3% carbamide peroxide and lactoperoxidase. Materials and methods. Participants were instructed to brush their teeth using an enzymatic-activated dentifrice following a particular procedure for three weeks. Color was recorded before and after treatment using a VITA Easyshade spectrophotometer. Differences in L(∗) (tooth color lightness), a(∗) (displacement along the red-green axis), and b(∗) (displacement along the yellow-blue axis) were measured before and after treatment using the paired t and the Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Color changes (Δ(E)) were calculated using the obtained measurements. RESULTS: Thirty-four volunteers were included. Δ(E) was 4.03. For the set of 348 teeth, a greater tendency towards green (lower a(∗)) and blue (lower b(∗)) was observed (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in lightness after treatment. Mandibular central incisors showed a greater tendency towards green (lower a(∗)) and blue (lower b(∗)). Bleaching effectiveness was observed in both the upper and lower central incisors and in the lateral mandibular incisors. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, it may be concluded that brushing with an enzymatic-activated dentifrice is effective for whitening teeth.