Penetration of the pulp chamber by carbamide peroxide bleaching agents

Hydrogen peroxide readily penetrates the pulp chamber of freshly extracted teeth. This study was undertaken to determine whether carbamide peroxide also penetrates the pulp chamber. Freshly extracted teeth were sectioned 2 to 3 mm apical to the cementoenamel junction and the coronal pulpal tissue was removed. Acetate buffer was placed in the pulp chamber to absorb and stabilize any peroxide that might penetrate. The coronal portion of each tooth was immersed in either carbamide peroxide gel or gelled hydrogen peroxide at various concentrations for 15 min at 37 degrees C. The buffer was removed, leukocrystal violet was added, and the optical density of the resulting blue solution was determined spectrophotometrically. Amounts of peroxide found in the pulp chamber after 15 min ranged from 3.3 +/- 0.38 micrograms for the 10% sample to 40.4 +/- 3.51 micrograms for the 30% sample.