Extrinsic stain removal with a toothpowder: A randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Dental hygiene
• Preventive dentistry
• Cosmetic dentistry

Background:

• Extrinsic dental stains can negatively impact aesthetics.
• Toothpaste is commonly used for oral hygiene and stain removal.
• The efficacy of toothpowders for stain removal requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of a commercially available toothpowder with toothpaste in removing extrinsic dental stains.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of toothpowder in reducing stain area, intensity, and composite measures.

Main Methods:

• A single-blind, randomized controlled trial involving 77 volunteers.
• Participants were randomized into a test (toothpowder) group (n=36) and a control (toothpaste) group (n=36).
• The Lobene Stain Index (SI) was used to measure extrinsic dental stains on the labial surfaces of anterior teeth over two weeks.

Main Results:

• The experimental toothpowder showed significantly superior stain removal compared to toothpaste.
• Toothpowder significantly reduced stain area (p<.001), stain intensity (p<.001), and composite/product (p<.001).

Conclusions:

• Toothpowder exhibited significantly higher stain-removing efficacy than toothpaste.
• Toothpowder may be beneficial for controlling and removing extrinsic dental stains.