Comparative assessment of sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate dissolved in vinegar and hydrogen peroxide as bleaching agents to reduce intrinsic dental stains: In vitro study

Abstract

Purpose : With the increasing concern for aesthetics, dentists are working hard to give their patient what is called the 'perfect smile'. Discolouration of teeth is an aesthetic problem, which requires effective treatment. Bleaching is the simplest, common most effective treatment to reduce the stains, but unfortunately which is not within the reach of all individuals. Hence an attempt has been made to evaluate the effectiveness of various indigenous agents like sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate dissolved in vinegar containing 4% acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide, as bleaching agents to reduce intrinsic dental stains. Materials and Methods : Forty extracted premolars having mild degree of dental fluorosis were selected and thoroughly cleaned with pumice slurry. All the polished 40 teeth were randomly divided into 4 groups each containing 10 teeth. Bleaching was performed on ten teeth per group by immersing them in solutions containing either 1.5% hydrogen peroxide, 10% w/v of sodium chloride + vinegar containing 4% acetic acid, 10% w/v of sodium bicarbonate + vinegar containing 4% acetic acid or distilled water for 5 minutes each. The intrinsic colour of teeth was measured with a spectrophotometer using the standard L*a*b* colour scale and the shade was evaluated at day 0, 7, 14 and 21. Results: Compared to baseline tooth colour, hydrogen peroxide and sodium chloride dissolved in vinegar were significantly effective in removing the intrinsic tooth stain ( P Conclusions: Sodium chloride dissolved in vinegar was more effective at reducing intrinsic tooth stain than sodium bicarbonate dissolved in vinegar.