Tooth wear and cleaning effect of an abrasive-free dentifrice

To evaluate the degree of wear on human teeth and the cleaning effect of abrasive-free dentifrice. A sodium pyrophosphate and cellulose-containing abrasive-free dentifrice and calcium carbonate-containing control dentifrice were evaluated.

Dentin and enamel specimens were subjected to 109,500 successive double strokes and 5480 double strokes in pH-cycling condition. A profilometer measured abrasion depth. The cleaning effect of dentifrices on artificial stain was evaluated by cleaning power (modified Stookey method) and by removal of colored stain on artificial tooth.

The experimental results were evaluated using Mann-Whitney U test. The abrasion depth in dentin specimens was 13.97-26.73 times smaller with abrasive-free dentifrice than with control dentifrice. The abrasion depth of enamel specimen was 2.17 ± 0.66 μm with control dentifrice. The values for abrasive-free dentifrice were too small to measure. In pH-cycling conditions using dentin specimens, abrasion depth was 14.28-19.00 times smaller with abrasive-free dentifrice than with control dentifrice. The cleaning power and removing effect of colored stain were statistically insignificant between abrasive-free dentifrice and control dentifrice (P > 0.05).

The abrasive-free dentifrice was as effective as control dentifrice in its cleaning effect on artificial stain and can significantly reduce tooth wear more than control dentifrice.