Evaluation of Dentinal Changes Following Application of Three Different Desensitizing Agents

Abstract

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of three desensitizing tooth pastes on the dentinal tubule occlusion. Thirty dentin discs having a thickness of 3 mm were obtained by cutting human teeth. The discs were submersed in citric acid for 30 seconds to open the dentin tubules. Then the discs were cut in two halves. In each group 10 halves were kept in 0.9% NaCl solution) and the other 10 halves were exposed to the action of one of the tested desensitizing toothpastes. The dentin samples were placed in the machine designed to simulate tooth brushing. Three commercial desensitizing toothpastes were chosen to be applied on dentin surface. The morphology of dentin samples and the level of tubule occlusion was scored using scanning electron microscope. All the three desensitizing toothpastes demonstrated significant effects on dentinal tubule occlusion. The tooth paste containing arginine and calcium carbonate as active ingredients showed the highest degree of tubule occlusion, followed by the dentifrice containing strontium acetate and sodium fluoride.