Premium
Effect of Whitening Agents Containing Carbamide Peroxide on Cariogenic Bacteria
Author(s) -
BENTLEY CAROLYN D.,
LEONARD RALPH H.,
CRAWFORD JAMES J.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of esthetic and restorative dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.919
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1708-8240
pISSN - 1496-4155
DOI - 10.1111/j.1708-8240.2000.tb00196.x
Subject(s) - carbamide peroxide , peroxide , saliva , chemistry , opalescence , food science , antiseptic , lactobacillus , incubation , hydrogen peroxide , biochemistry , fermentation , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro antibacterial effects of three different carbamide peroxide products (Nitewhite®, Opalescence®, and Proxigel®) on cariogenic microorganisms (mutans streptococci [MS] and lactobacilli), and to evaluate the effects of a 10% carbamide peroxide solution (Proxigel®) on salivary levels of MS and lactobacilli clinically. Materials and Methods: Growth inhibition studies were performed to determine the concentration and exposure time of carbamide peroxide to give total inhibition of recoverable growth of MS lactobacilli. Paraffin‐stimulated saliva samples were collected from subjects before and after 6 weeks of treatment with 10% carbamide peroxide in bleaching trays, and levels of MS and lactobacilli were determined. Results: The growth inhibition studies showed no visible growth of MS or lactobacilli at 24‐, 48‐, or 72‐hour incubation, after a 2‐hour exposure to 1% carbamide peroxide. Identical results were obtained with all three carbamide peroxide products. In the clinical study, the mean salivary MS levels, expressed as logarithm colony‐forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL), were 5.38 for the pretreatment samples and 5.23 for the post‐treatment samples. The differences were not statistically significant ( p > .05). However, there was a reduction in logarithm lactobacilli counts from a mean of 4.12 pretreatment to a mean of 2.74 post‐treatment. This was statistically significant (p < .05). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE This study indicates that carbamide peroxide solution is bacteriostatic for MS and lactobacilli in vitro and could reduce salivary levels of lactobacilli in vivo. Ten percent carbamide peroxide solution, when used in nightguard vital bleaching, is an antimicrobial that may be useful as an anticariogenic agent.