Tooth Color Change and Erosion: Hydrogen Peroxide Versus Non-peroxide Whitening Strips

Area of Science:

• Dental materials science
• Cosmetic dentistry
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Tooth whitening is a popular cosmetic procedure.
• Hydrogen peroxide (HP) based whitening strips (WSs) are widely used.
• Concerns exist regarding the potential enamel erosion caused by whitening agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the whitening efficacy of non-peroxide WSs against HP WSs.
• To assess the potential for enamel erosion associated with both types of WSs.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-four samples were divided into four groups: negative control, two non-peroxide WSs, and one HP WS.
• Color change was measured using spectrophotometry at baseline, 1-day, and 1-week post-treatment.
• Thirty samples were used for micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) analysis to quantify enamel erosion depth.

Main Results:

• HP WSs showed significantly higher color change (ΔE*ab) compared to non-peroxide strips at both 1-day and 1-week.
• Non-peroxide strips (Brilliant Dissolving Strips, Fancymay Teeth WSs) and the negative control exhibited similar, minimal color changes.
• Micro-CT analysis revealed negligible enamel erosion for all tested WSs, with no significant difference among them. A positive control (citric acid) showed substantial erosion.

Conclusions:

• HP WSs are more effective for tooth whitening than non-peroxide WSs.
• The tested non-peroxide and HP whitening strips do not cause significant enamel erosion.
• These findings suggest that HP WSs offer a safe and effective option for tooth whitening without compromising tooth structure.