Comparative evaluation of Tooth Surface Abrasiveness of Herbal and Non-herbal Toothpaste.

Background: Abrasion is the mechanical wearing of dental hard tissue and commonly affects cervical tooth structure. The main predisposing factors for abrasion are the tooth brushing method and the type of toothpaste used. Toothpaste is an important component in the etiology of abrasion. Most toothpaste contains abrasive agents for cleaning, maintaining, and improving tooth health. There are two types of toothpaste commercially available; synthetic and herbal formulations. Synthetic toothpastes typically contain abrasive agents, such as calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, silica or hydrated silica for removing debris and stains. High amounts of abrasives in toothpastes may damage hard and soft tissues and dental restorations, leading to gingival recession, cervical abrasion and dentinal hypersensitivity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the abrasive effect of herbal toothpastes compared with non-herbal toothpaste.   Methods: 300 patients were randomly selected those who fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Subjects participating in this study were equally divided into 2 groups. Group A:  Herbal toothpaste, Group B:  Non Herbal tooth gel. The presence and type of cervical defects in each person will be diagnosing using the tooth wear index (TWI).   Results: Statistically significant difference was observed in value of enamel abrasion amongst Group A and B (p<0.05). Statistical analysis used in this study was one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)   Conclusions: The least enamel abrasion was observed in non herbal tooth gel when compared with herbal toothpaste.