Evaluation of the effects of novel toothpastes containing chitosan and propolis on tooth surfaces and their biomechanical properties

The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the abrasion depths induced by brushing with a child formula toothpaste containing 500ppm fluoride and two novel toothpastes containing chitosan and propolis introduced recently on sound and artificially carious primary tooth enamel specimens and to evaluate the usage of these different toothpastes on preschool children by detecting the adherence rate of minerals existing in toothpastes into sound and artificially carious primary tooth enamel specimens after brushing. After embedding pairs of enamel specimens from each tooth into epoxy resin blocks, specimen surfaces were ground flat by utilizing trimming and polishing device in order to carry out profilometric depth and surface analysis. Stored in demineralization solution for three days, artificial subsurface caries lesions were formed on specimens. Brushing abrasion was performed with an automatic toothbrushing machine using three different toothpastes and artificial saliva. Abrasion depths on the brushed area of specimens was determined with computer-guided optical profilometry. Brushed enamel specimens were evaluated and mineral analysis was performed by SEM-EDS following profilometric analysis. Brushing abrasion depths on sound and artificially carious enamel surfaces did not exhibit any significant difference between groups of three different toothpastes (p>0.05). When brushed sound enamel specimens were compared according to different toothpaste groups, brushing abrasion depths of Elmex were found higher than control group (p<0.05). Abrasion depths of sound enamel specimens brushed with Elmex were also higher than Aagaard Propolis (p<0.05). Between toothpaste groups in demineralised and brushed enamel specimens, the least brushing abrasion depth values were obtained at Chitodent group (p>0.05). Comparing demineralised, brushed demineralised and brushed sound enamel surfaces, a statistically significant difference was found between these three groups in terms of depth (p<0.05). The mean abrasion values of brushed demineralised surfaces were observed higher than that of sound surfaces (p<0.05). The effects of different toothpastes on the brushing abrasion depths of sound and demineralised enamel surfaces were found similar (p>0.05). In the SEM-EDS analysis of primary tooth enamel specimen with artificial caries brushed with Elmex, Si belonging to the silica content of toothpaste, Ca and P elements existing at the hydroxyapatite structure of the tooth and Na, Cl and O of the chemical structure of tooth, toothpaste and artificial saliva were found. In the artificially carious primary enamel specimens brushed with Aagaard Propolis, Ti element of titanium oxide content of toothpaste, Ca and P elements existing at the hydroxyapatite structure of the tooth and Na, Cl and O of the chemical structure of tooth, toothpaste and artificial saliva were detected. Finally, in the artificially carious primary enamel specimens brushed with Chitodent it was observed that Ca and P elements of hydroxyapatite structure of the tooth and Na, K, Cl and O of the chemical structure of tooth, toothpaste and artificial saliva were existing. In the light of the results, it is concluded that the brushing abrasion values of propolis and chitosan containing toothpastes on sound enamel surfaces were lower than that of fluoride containing child formula toothpaste.