Toothpaste Abrasion and Abrasive Particle Content: Correlating High-Resolution Profilometric Analysis with Relative...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Dental Materials Science
• Tribology

Background:

• Toothpaste abrasivity is a critical factor in dental care, influencing enamel wear and restoration integrity.
• Current methods for assessing toothpaste abrasivity, such as Radioactive Dentin Abrasion (RDA), have limitations.
• Developing alternative, reliable screening methods is essential for new toothpaste formulation development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of abrasive particle concentration on toothpaste abrasivity using laser scan profilometry.
• To establish an alternative method for screening new toothpaste formulations.
• To correlate laser scan profilometry results with established RDA values.

Main Methods:

• In vitro study using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) surfaces.
• Toothbrush simulator testing with model toothpastes containing varying hydrated silica concentrations (2.5-10.0 wt%).
• Surface analysis via laser scan profilometry to measure scratch volume and roughness parameters (Ra, Rz, Rv).
• Comparison with commissioned RDA measurements and analysis of commercial toothpastes.

Main Results:

• Toothpaste abrasiveness increased proportionally with the weight percentage of hydrated silica.
• Roughness parameters and volume loss correlated positively with increasing RDA values for both model and commercial toothpastes.
• The proposed laser scan profilometry method demonstrated a strong correlation with RDA values.

Conclusions:

• Laser scan profilometry provides a viable alternative method for evaluating toothpaste abrasivity.
• The study proposes an abrasion classification system based on laser scan profilometry data that corresponds to the RDA classification.
• This method can aid developers in screening new toothpaste formulations efficiently.