The efficiency of 10% carbamide peroxide gel on dental enamel

This study investigated the effect of 10% carbamide peroxide gel on human tooth color, vibrational mode, and mineral loss. The exposed enamels were bleached for two weeks (six hours' bleaching and 18 hours' storage in distilled water per day). Color change was calculated from the CIE L*a*b* color values. Vibrational mode in Fourier transform Raman spectrum and mineral content were also estimated. The bleached enamels showed an apparent color change (deltaE* = 5.35). Within the test period, their whiteness increased linearly as the period increased. A slight decrease in Raman peak at 1068 cm(-1)--compared with the peak at 430 cm(-1)--was observed after bleaching. The total mineral content was decreased from 90.39 to 86.01 after bleaching. Also, the calculated Ca/P ratio decreased from 2.10 to 2.07. However, these changes were negligibly different from the enamels stored in distilled water except for a color change.