High Concentration Whitening Gel Without Remineralizers: The Importance of Polishing and Fluoridation After Tooth Bleaching

Background This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dental polishing and topical application of neutral fluoride after bleaching with 35% hydrogen peroxide (HP35%) without remineralizing bioactive components in its composition on the surface roughness (SR) of tooth enamel. Material and Methods Fifty healthy bovine incisors were divided into five groups (n=10 each): G1, without treatment (only stored in artificial saliva); G2, dental bleaching with HP35%; G3, dental bleaching with HP35% + tooth polishing with diamond paste; G4, tooth whitening with HP35% + topical application of fluoride; G5, dental bleaching with HP35% + tooth polishing with diamond paste + topical application of fluoride. SR readings were taken at times T0 (before treatment) and T1 (after treatment). Data were analyzed using analysis of variance for samples related to Tukey's post hoc test. Results The lowest mean roughness was observed in G3 at T1 (0.123 Ra) and the highest mean in G1 at T0 (0.198 Ra). However, the values of all groups at T1 were not statistically different (p(>)0.05) from the T0 values. Conclusion Coronal polishing and topical application of neutral sodium fluoride did not interfere with the roughness of the enamel bleached with a gel without remineralizing agents in its composition.