The Effect of Mouthwashes on Surface Hardness of Dental Ceramics

Statement of problem: The effect of different mouth rinses on the surface characteristics of ceramic materials is not documented. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of three mouth rinses, containing either alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or fluoride, on micro hardness of two dental ceramics, (Duceram love, IPS e.max Ceram). Eighty cylindrical disks were prepared and divided into eight experimental groups (n=10 for each group) according to the ceramic material and storage solutions. The micro hardness of each sample in all groups was recorded prior to testing. For each ceramic, three groups were immersed in one of the three mouth rinses for a total of 24 and 96 hours. The fourth group was immersed in distilled water as the control. At the end the specimens were taken out, rinsed, dried and tested using micro hardness tester. The results of the two-way ANOVA indicated that there was no interaction between media, time and materials (P>0.05). Micro hardness of the ceramics was not adversely affected by immersion in the studied mouth rinses. The patients with porcelain restorations should be assured that using mouth rinses containing hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or fluoride do not damage the surface hardness of the porcelain.