Effect of remineralizing agents on the bleaching efficacy of gels

Adding remineralizing agents to bleaching gels has been proposed to reduce the mineral loss of enamel and tooth sensitivity. This study sought to investigate the efficacy of hydrogen peroxide (HP) gel after the addition of calcium and fluoride. Ninety enamel-dentin discs were prepared from bovine incisors. The specimens were divided into 3 groups: a negative control group (nonbleached) and 2 experimental groups, 1 bleached with 7.5% HP (at-home bleaching) and the other with 35% HP (in-office bleaching). Each group was subdivided into 3 subgroups, according to the addition of remineralizing agents on gels: no remineralizing agents, addition of 2% calcium gluconate, and addition of 2% sodium fluoride. For 14 days, the gels were applied 1 hour/day for at-home bleaching and 50 minutes/week for in-office bleaching. Between bleaching, the specimens were immersed in artificial saliva. The results showed significant differences in all bleached groups compared to the nonbleached negative control group. No significant differences were observed for any parameters tested when the different treatments were compared using 2-way ANOVA. It was concluded that adding remineralizing agents to the gels did not interfere with their whitening effect and that both concentrations tested offered similar bleaching outcomes.