Effect of mouth rinses on tooth enamel surface

This study aims to evaluate the effect of mouth rinses on the color, microhardness, and surface roughness of tooth enamel. Sixty dental blocks were collected from human third molars and divided in five groups (n = 12): the control group (CG) without immersion in mouth rinse, Listerine Zero, Colgate Plax Fresh Mint, Listerine Whitening, and Colgate Luminous White. The groups were subjected to initial color analysis; the microhardness and roughness of the enamel surfaces were evaluated. Next, the samples were subjected to immersion in mouth rinses or brushing with conventional fluoride toothpaste (CG) according to the manufacturer's instructions; after a 12-week treatment, the color, microhardness, and roughness were once again assessed and compared with the initial analysis. Data were tabulated and analyzed through a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) (color and roughness) followed by Tukey's test. Microhardness was analyzed through the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's test; the level of significance was 5%. All groups immersed in mouth rinses had a higher level of microhardness loss than CG; additionally, all groups showed changes in the enamel surface. Enamel surface loss was observed using a roughness test, and the mouth rinses promoted a higher level of color changes than CG. Given the results, it can be concluded that the mouth rinses led to significant changes in tooth enamel.