Effects of Exposure to Cola-Based Soft Drink on Bleaching Effectiveness and Tooth Sensitivity of In-Office Bleaching: A Blind Clinical Trial

Objective: The purpose of this single-blind (evaluators) and parallel design study was to evaluate whether exposure to a cola-based soft drink during bleaching treatment with 35% hydrogen peroxide (HP) affects color change and bleaching-induced tooth sensitivity. Material and methods: Forty-four patients with central incisors darker than A2 were selected. Participants who did not drink cola-based soft drinks were assigned to the control group (CG), while participants who drank a cola-based soft drink at least twice a day were assigned to the experimental group (EG). For the CG, foods with staining dyes were restricted. For the EG, there was no restriction on food and patients were asked to rinse their mouths with a cola-based soft drink for 30 s, 4 times daily. For both groups, 2 sessions with three 15 min applications of 35% HP were performed. Shade evaluation was assessed via subjective (VITA classical and VITA bleacheguide shade guides) and objective methods (Easyshade spectrophotometer) at baseline, during bleaching (first, second, and third weeks), and post bleaching (1 week and 1 month). Patients recorded their sensitivity perceptions using a numerical rating scale and 0-10 visual analog scales. Variation in shade guide units and the 2 colors (DE) were evaluated with a Student's t-test (alpha = 0.05) and Mann-Whitney test (alpha = 0.05). Absolute risk of tooth sensitivity and intensity of tooth sensitivity were evaluated by a Chi-square test (alpha=0.05). Results: Effective bleaching was observed for both groups after 30 days, without statistical difference (p > 0.08). There was no significant difference in absolute risk of bleaching-induced tooth sensitivity between the 2 groups (p = 0.74). Higher and significant scores in pain scales were detected for the EG in comparison to the CG (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Even that the cola-based soft drink exposure during in-office bleaching treatments did not affect the bleaching's effectiveness; patients reported a higher intensity in bleaching-induced tooth sensitivity.