Antioxidant therapy enhances pulpal healing in bleached teeth

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dental Pulp Biology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Dental bleaching agents, such as 35% hydrogen peroxide, can cause pulp tissue damage.
• Antioxidants may mitigate the adverse effects of bleaching on dental pulp.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the histopathological effects of ascorbic acid (AA) as an antioxidant therapy on rat dental pulp following exposure to a 35% hydrogen peroxide bleaching agent.

Main Methods:

• Forty rats received either distilled water (DW) or ascorbic acid (AA) orally 90 minutes before bleaching.
• Bleaching agent was applied twice for 5 minutes to mandibular molars.
• Animals were sacrificed at 6 hours, 3 days, or 7 days post-bleaching for microscopic pulp tissue evaluation.

Main Results:

• At 6 hours, both groups showed moderate inflammation; AA group had less necrosis (80%) than DW group (100%).
• By 24 hours, the AA group exhibited enhanced regeneration, reduced inflammation, and new odontoblast layer formation in 60% of teeth.
• Within 7 days, pulpal necrosis areas in both groups were replaced by connective tissue and odontoblast-like cells.

Conclusions:

• Ascorbic acid (AA) therapy provided a slight reduction in immediate post-bleaching pulpal damage.
• AA treatment accelerated the regenerative potential of dental pulp tissue over a 7-day period.