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Updated: Jan 19, 2026
Assessing Iron Deposition in the Brains of 5xFAD Mice by Perls'/DAB Staining
Published on: May 23, 2025
Efficacy of Three Toothpastes in Iron Stain Removal from Primary Teeth
Alireza Heidari1, Mehdi Shahrabi1, Marzieh S Shahrabi1
1Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Aim:
This study aimed to assess the iron stain removal efficacy of three toothpastes in extracted primary teeth.
Materials And Methods:
In this in vitro study, 60 extracted sound primary teeth were selected, decoronated at the cementoenamel junction, and their pulp chambers were filled with a composite. The teeth were then immersed in ferrous sulfate solution and brushed 3,000 times in an automatic tooth-brushing machine using Colgate, whitening Crest, and conventional Crest dentifrices. Stain removal was done in four groups using a prophylaxis paste. Digital images were obtained from the teeth before and after brushing with dentifrices and the changes in color parameters were measured using Photoshop and iColor software programs. Changes in color parameters were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA while multiple comparisons were done by Tukey's test.
Results:
The greatest change in chroma was observed in the prophylaxis group and then in the whitening Crest, Colgate, and conventional Crest (mean values of -65.2, -31.07, -21.27, and -0.73, respectively). Prophylaxis completely removed the stains. The greatest reduction in value occurred in conventional Crest, Colgate, and whitening Crest (-18.07, -12.23, and -0.4, respectively). In the L*a*b* system, the least reductions were noted in the whitening Crest, Colgate, and conventional Crest (mean values of -1.96, -3.92, and -3.37, respectively). Prophylaxis significantly improved tooth brightness (a mean increase of 4.26).
Conclusion:
None of the toothpastes in this study were capable of effectively removing iron stains. Crest whitening toothpaste was slightly effective in this regard.
Clinical Significance:
Iron drops are routinely prescribed for children younger than 2 years of age to prevent iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. However, iron stains on teeth are a common concern for many parents. Finding toothpastes with greater efficacy for iron stain removal can help in this respect.
How To Cite This Article:
Heidari A, Shahrabi M, et al. Efficacy of Three Toothpastes in Iron Stain Removal from Primary Teeth. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2019;12(1):10-14.
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