Influence of different ultra-soft toothbrushes on erosive tooth wear

Objective: To investigate the influence of different ultra-soft toothbrushes on the progression of erosive tooth wear (ETW). Methods: Bovine enamel and dentin specimens (n = 10) were submitted to a 5-day erosive-abrasive cycling model (0.3% citric acid for 5 min, artificial saliva for 60 min, 4x/day). Toothbrushing was carried out 2x/day for 15 s, with the different toothbrushes tested (A- Edel White: flexible handle, tapered bristles; B- Oral-B Gengiva Detox: regular handle, criss-cross tapered bristles; C- Colgate Gengiva Therapy: flexible handle, tapered bristles, high tuft density; D- Oral-B Expert Gengiva Sensi: regular handle, round end bristles, high tuft density; E- Oral-B Indicator Plus: soft brush, round end bristles (control). Surface loss (SL, in mu m) was assessed by optical profilometry. The toothbrush characteristics were evaluated by a surgical microscope. Data were statistically analyzed (alpha=0.05). Results: For enamel, toothbrush C showed the highest SL (means +/- SD: 9.86 +/- 1.28) and it did not differ significantly from A (8.60 +/- 0.50), both with flexible handles. The lowest SL was observed for the toothbrush Control E (6.76 +/- 0.63), which differed significantly from A and C, but not from the other toothbrushes. For dentin, the highest SL was found for toothbrush D (6.97 +/- 1.05) and it did not differ significantly from E (6.23 +/- 0.71). The lowest SL was observed for B (4.61 +/- 0.71) and C (4.85 + 0.83), without significant differences from A (5.01 +/- 1.24). Conclusions: The ultra-soft toothbrushes had different impacts on the progression of ETW on the dental substrates. On enamel, higher ETW values were observed for the flexible handle toothbrushes, while for dentin, round-end bristles (ultra-soft and soft) caused more ETW. Clinical significance: Knowledge about the effect of different ultra-soft toothbrushes on ETW can help clinicians to recommend the most suitable types for their patients, bearing in mind that toothbrushes can impact enamel and dentin differently.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate the influence of different ultra-soft toothbrushes on the progression of erosive tooth wear (ETW). The results showed that flexible handle toothbrushes had a greater effect on enamel erosion, while round-end bristles (ultra-soft and soft) had a greater impact on dentin erosion.