Experience in the toothpaste’s hygienic effectiveness assessment by oral fluid biochemical parameters

Abstract

Relevance. The oral hygiene and prevention quality depends on toothpaste. The literature analysis shows the underuse of saliva biochemical parameters for assessing oral hygiene product effectiveness.Materials and methods. Thirty-three subjects aged 19 to 22 years participated in the study. The participants used four kinds of toothpaste by the same manufacturer to evaluate the toothpaste’s effectiveness. We conducted clinical examinations and collected saliva samples on the 1st, 14th and 28th days of the study. The saliva was collected on an empty stomach without stimulation in the morning. Then it was centrifuged. The supernatant was biochemically studied.Results. The study established the criteria for the toothpaste’s low effectiveness, which involve a signifcant increase in hygienic indices and total antioxidant activity, associated with a statistically signifcant trend towards an increase in lactate content. The criteria for a toothpaste with medium effectiveness are a signifcant decrease in one of the hygienic indices, associated with an alkaline pH shift, and an increase in the total antioxidant activity, without signifcant changes in the lactate content. The criteria for a highly effective toothpaste are a signifcant decrease in hygienic indices, and an alkaline pH shift, associated with a signifcant lactate decrease. Determination of total calcium and inorganic phosphorus in the oral fluid may be crucial for assessing the toothpaste remineralizing properties. The glucose content in mixed saliva yields little information for the toothpaste’s hygienic effectiveness assessment.Conclusion. We can recommend saliva biochemical parameters for assessing the oral hygiene status and the effectiveness of oral hygiene products during oral hygiene product comprehensive studies.