Evaluation of the Differences Between Whitening Toothpastes: An in Vitro Study

This in vitro study investigates the whitening efficacy of three commercially available whitening toothpastes—Curaprox Black & White, Curasept Black Lux, and Colgate Max White Charcoal—on coffee-stained, extracted human incisors over a 28-day period. Twenty human incisors, extracted for orthodontic or periodontal reasons, were stained in a coffee solution and divided into four groups: a control group (CTR), and three experimental groups (SPX, CPT, CLG) treated with the respective whitening toothpastes. Color changes were measured at five time points (T0, T1, T2, T3, T4) using a spectrophotometer, and ΔE values were calculated to assess the whitening performance. Results indicated a statistically significant improvement in whitening for the Curasept Black Lux (CPT) group compared to Curaprox Black & White (CPX) (p = 0.0010), while no significant differences were observed between Colgate Max White Charcoal (CLG). However, none of the tested products showed a statistically significant whitening effect when compared to the control group (CTR), suggesting limited overall efficacy. Time was found to significantly influence tooth color (p = 0.0222), although the rate of whitening progression remained similar across all groups. These findings suggest that while certain whitening toothpastes may provide slight improvements, their effectiveness remains comparable to untreated teeth. Further studies with larger sample sizes and extended observation periods are recommended to thoroughly assess the long-term whitening potential of these products.