Remineralizing potential of commercially available pediatric dentrifices: An In vitro study

Abstract

BackgroundRemineralizing agents are found to be effective in the remineralization of early enamel caries and the remineralized enamel crystallites are more resistant to decalcification and also have the same orientation as the original enamel crystallites. Although child formula fluoridated dentifrices are used safely by young children their remineralizing capability remains questionable. AimTo evaluate the remineralizing potential of three commercially available pediatric dentifrices on artificial carious lesions in primary teeth. Materials and methodsA total of fifty sound human primary teeth were coated with nail varnish leaving a window of 2 mm × 4 mm on buccal surface and were subjected to demineralization for a period of 96 h and then sectioned. Out of the hundred sections obtained, ninety sections are equally divided into three groups with thirty in each group: Group I (Colgate Spider man), Group II (Kids bunny), Group III (Kidodent) subjected to remineralization respectively for 10 days using pH cycling model. The sections were then evaluated under the stereomicroscope for the remineralization values using MICAP image analyser software. ResultsStatistical analysis was done by using ANOVA test which showed that all the three dentifrices showed remineralization with artificial carious lesions. Among the three test groups, Group I showed higher remineralization potential compared with the other two pediatric dentifrices which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). ConclusionAll the three dentifrices demonstrated remineralization of carious lesions by virtue of decrease in lesion depth.