• Orapin Kaewplung D.D.S., Ph.D (Maxillofacial Prosthodontics)
• Pranpreeya Chaitheraparbkul D.D.S., M.S.
• Nattakarn Pakkayawongse
• Rojsuphan Changjanekit
• Sawitre Thongsuk

Objective To compare the difference of acrylic denture teeth abrasive wear after brushing with
different types of toothpaste, then to be a guideline for suggesting the patient for extending the life
time of the denture from cleaning that denture teeth.

Materials and methods Thirty sets of anterior acrylic denture teeth were divided into 5 groups
according to the types of toothpaste used for brushing, at 6 sets per group; Group 1: calculus
controlling paste, Group 2: plaque reducing paste, Group 3: caries protective paste, Group 4: whitening
paste and Group 5: hypersensitivity reducing paste. Each tooth was weighed before brushing with
the digital display. It was fixed with stone plaster and measured the surface roughness before
brushing by using the profilometer. Every group was brushed, 8 teeth at a time, in a brushing
machine with 20,000 strokes. The brushed teeth were weighed and were measured for the surface
roughness, then brought the means of difference to analyzed statistically with Kruskal-Walis test.

Results The abrasive wear of the acrylic denture teeth after brushing with different types of
toothpastes was significantly different (P < 0.05). Those that were brushed with whitening paste
abraded most (ΔW_WH = 4.10 + 0.27 mg, ΔRa_WH = 0.261 + 0.064 μm).

Conclusion When acrylic teeth were brushed with toothpaste that has more abrasives or coarse
abrasives such as whitening paste, they abraded most. Thus, in the aspect of weight loss and
surface roughness, it is recommended to avoid such an above paste for brushing with the acrylic
denture teeth.

(CU Dent J. 2007;30:157-68)