BIOPHYSICAL STUDIES OF THE OPTICAL PARAMETERS OF TOOTH ENAMEL OF PATIENTS WHO USED ACTIVATED CARBON TOOTHPASTE

More than 3.5 billion people worldwide suffer from tooth decay and periodontal disease, emphasizing the need for effective prevention and treatment. Oral care products, including toothpaste, play an important role in this context. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of toothpaste with activated carbon on the optical parameters of tooth enamel. Materials and methods. The study involved 35 volunteer patients aged 25–65 who used the toothpaste 2 times a day for 1 month. The degree of mineralization of the hard tissues of the teeth was assessed in all patients at baseline, after 1 and 3 months. A statistically significant difference between alternative quantitative features with a distribution corresponding to the normal law was evaluated using Student’s t-test. The difference was considered statistically significant at p<0.01. Results. The results show significant positive changes in the enamel properties after toothpaste application. Starting with the colour saturation (S), we observed a decrease in the intensity of enamel coloration. This effect remained stable even after three months, demonstrating the duration of the whitening effect. The whiteness index (W) exceeded the initial level. This confirms that the toothpaste has a significant whitening effect that not only instantly improves the appearance of enamel but also provides a long-term improvement in the whiteness of teeth. The yellowness index (Y) shows the effectiveness of the toothpaste in controlling the reduction of the yellow tint of the teeth. This indicates the ability of the paste not only to remove stains from the surface of the teeth but also to penetrate deep into the enamel, affecting the optical properties responsible for light reflection and visual perception of whiteness. The use of toothpaste with activated carbon improves the colour and optical parameters of tooth enamel, reducing yellowing and maintaining the whitening effect for a certain period of time. However, systematic use of the paste is necessary to keep this effect.