Bioadhesive Film of Acmella Oleracea (Jambu) in the Reduction of Post-bleaching Dental Sensitivity Caused by Bleaching With 35% Hydrogen Peroxide.

Overview

Despite the wide range of desensitizing agents available on the market, there is still no gold standard treatment that is fully effective in managing sensitivity by dental bleaching. In this context, a bioadhesive film containing Acmella oleracea (jambu)-a natural product with anti-inflammatory and, most notably, analgesic properties-may represent an effective alternative for controlling this discomfort. Therefore, this project aims to clinically evaluate the efficacy of an Acmella oleracea extract bioadhesive film on tooth sensitivity induced by 35% hydrogen peroxide bleaching.

Dental bleaching with hydrogen peroxide (HP) is a frequent treatment in dentistry, but it can present some adverse effects such as alterations in the surface structure of the teeth and tooth sensitivity. This study aimed to evaluate an experimental bioadhesive film of Acmella oleracea (jambu) extract on tooth sensitivity caused by bleaching with 35% hydrogen peroxide and its impact on the participants' oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Seventy-two volunteers were divided into three different groups: GCP - Control group with bioadhesive bioplastic film without spilanthol, GKF - Desensitizing treatment group with 5% potassium nitrate and 2% sodium fluoride (Desensitize KF 2%), and GAO - Group with the experimental bioadhesive film of Acmella oleracea extract. In each group, the corresponding product was applied to the vestibular surfaces of the visible teeth for 10 minutes. Subsequently, all groups underwent an in-office dental bleaching protocol with 35% hydrogen peroxide. Tooth sensitivity was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS), the impact on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) was assessed using the QEDH-15 questionnaire at baseline and at the last sensitivity record, and color measurement was performed at two time points: at baseline and one week after the 3rd bleaching session. Data were subjected to the Shapiro-Wilk normality test. For normally distributed variables, we used repeated measures ANOVA for intragroup analysis and one-way ANOVA for intergroup comparisons, with post-hoc tests when applicable. For non-parametric data, Friedman (intragroup) and Kruskal-Wallis (intergroup) tests were used. Color analysis (ΔE), considering the difference between initial and final times, and the impact on oral health-related quality of life followed the same statistical criteria, according to the data distribution. The significance level adopted was 5% for all analyses. The bioadhesive film is expected to have an effect on nociception and reduce sensitivity caused by bleaching.