Stain Removal Efficacy of Herbal Mouth Rinses Containing Sodium Hexametaphosphate

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate the stain removal efficacy of herbal mouth rinses containing sodium hexametaphosphate.Materials and MethodsA total of 30 freshly extracted teeth were selected and buccal surfaces were cut to obtain enamel specimens. These slabs were then incubated at 37°C in the mixed human saliva for 24 h for plaque formation. They were then immersed in freshly prepared staining solution and incubated for 24 h. Digital images of each enamel slab were captured using a high-resolution digital camera under standard lighting conditions using specially designed appliance. The enamel slabs were rinsed thoroughly with either type of mouth rinse samples for 1 min for a period of 14 days. The amount of <italic>in vitro</italic> stain was graded digitally before and after rinsing using LAB (L*a*b*) colour assessment (Adobe Photoshop version 8.0).ResultsThere was a significant increase in the mean L* score after 14 days when compared with the baseline in all the three mouth rinse groups (<italic>P</italic>&lt;0.001, &lt;0.001 and &lt;0.001, respectively), while there was significant decrease in the mean a* (<italic>P</italic>&lt;0.001, &lt;0.001 and &lt;0.001, respectively) and b* scores (<italic>P</italic> = 0.005, 0.001 and 0.01, respectively) in all the three mouth rinse groups after 14 days when compared with the baseline. The mean ΔE in groups A and B was significantly higher than in group C.The new herbal rinse can be a suitable alternative to peroxide-based whitening rinses without any potentially harmful effects.