Evaluation of the Remineralization Potential of an Herbal Non-fluoridated Dentifrice on Carious Lesions: An In Vitro Study

Background: This in vitro study compared the remineralization potential of Dabur red (DR), a non-fluoridated herbal toothpaste, with Colgate Strong Teeth (CST), a fluoride-based toothpaste, on permanent teeth with artificially created white spot lesions. Vickers microhardness (VMH), quantitative light-induced fluorescence system (QLF), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for data analysis. Methods: Enamel samples were prepared from the buccal surface of forty-five extracted maxillary premolars and subjected to demineralization to achieve adequate fluorescence loss (ΔF). The samples were divided into DR, CST, and control groups (n=15) and underwent 21 days of pH cycling. VMH was measured at baseline and after 21 days. QLF imaging was performed on days 7, 14, and 21. One randomly selected sample from each group underwent SEM examination to compare morphological variations. The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 22.0. Intra-group comparisons were made with repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA), and one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test was utilized for inter-group comparisons (P 0.05). Results: Mean VHN increased significantly in all three groups from baseline (DR=40.47, CST=41.91, control=36.42) to the 21st day (DR=119.47, CST=120.36, control=74.36) (P=0.00). Significant differences were found between the control and test groups, but not between DR and CST. No statistically significant difference was observed in ΔF at baseline and 7 days, but there were significant differences among the groups at 14 and 21 days. SEM images revealed dense mineralization for both DR and CST. Conclusion: After 21 days of in vitro remineralization, both DR and Colgate toothpaste demonstrated similar remineralizing potential as evaluated by surface MH and QLF.