How izzo’s Whitening Power Outshines the Rest

Background

Dark-colored teeth/teeth discoloration may be caused by intrinsic or extrinsic stains, or a combination of both.

There are two major approaches to removing the stains:

• The chemical mechanism using peroxides for tooth bleaching
• The mechanical mechanism using abrasives in prophylactic pastes and dentifrices to remove stains, both resulting in a whitening effect.

Definition of Whitening

According to Yiming Li in an article in The Journal of the American Dental Association, “tooth whitening is the process that results in the teeth becoming whiter in perceived color, regardless of the means used. Therefore, tooth whitening can include bleaching with peroxides and mechanical approaches to remove surface stains using professionally applied abrasive prophylaxis pastes as well as tooth brushing with a whitening dentifrice.”¹

izzo Whitening Mechanism

izzo helps to whiten teeth by removing surface stains during polishing. The degree and amount of surface staining is individual. If a user has a significant amount of surface stains, he/she could expect a noticeable improvement after several polishing rounds until most of the surface stains are removed.

Tooth stain buildup occurs when chromophores from food and drinks bind to the protein pellicle layer on the enamel surface. izzo Polishing Paste contains mild abrasives that help to remove stains during polishing.

Quantifying izzo’s Polishing Cup/Polishing Paste System Stain Removal Ability

Method Description

Stain removal ability is expressed in the Pellicle Cleaning Ratio (PCR). A PCR test is a means of comparing abrasivity against a reference abrasive agent or a benchmark product.

The idea behind the PCR test is as follows:

• Bovine teeth are stained with stain-producing solutions (e.g., a mixture of tea, coffee, mucin, and iron chloride).
• The degree of stain is measured by the color of the stained surface (results expressed in records L*a*b* color parameters).
• Stained surfaces are then brushed (or, in izzo’s case, polished) using an artificial brushing machine under specific conditions of load, speed, and duration, with a slurry of a dentifrice mixed with water.
• After brushing (or, in izzo’s case, polishing) the L*a*b* parameters are re-measured and changes are calculated in terms of overall color change (ΔE).
• Mean ΔE values for each measurement are calculated and compared to the reference abrasive, thereby yielding a PCR value, which may fall into low, medium, or high categories.

The PCR test conducted on izzo’s Polishing Cup/Polishing Paste system was conducted by Therametric Technologies, Inc., in Noblesville, IN. Specific details of the PCR test are described in the PCR Study 21-266 Final Report.²

Results

PCR test results on izzo’s Polishing Cup/Polishing Paste system are summarized in the PCR Study 21-266 Final Report.²

The results indicate that the color change for the izzo paste used in the final product (izzo Prototype Formulation [Coarse]) corresponds to ΔE=26.1 ± 0.8. It is important to point out that the greatest contributor to the ΔE value of 26.1 is ΔL (25.9), which describes the color change along the black-to-white color axes.

The izzo paste used in the final product (izzo Prototype Formulation [Coarse]) is equivalent to a professional prophylaxis polishing at a dental office with a Fine grit Prophy Paste (Enamel Pro Prophy Paste [Fine], ΔE=25.1 ± 1.0). It is also 54% greater than the ISO/ADA reference standard ΔE=16.9 ± 0.6.

The PCR is calculated as the ratio of the ΔE of the sample to ΔE of the ISO/ADA reference standard. Thus, the PCR of the standard is always 100. And the izzo Polishing Cup/Polishing Paste system has a PCR of 154.8 ± 4.5.
 
According to Putt et al. study conducted by Indiana University-Purdue University,3 the figure below compiles PCR values from various commercial dentifrices that are marketed for cleaning, whitening, and/or polishing capabilities. The PCR data plotted in this chart is obtained by testing conducted by Therametric Technologies, Inc., in Noblesville, IN;3 it is the same laboratory that was used by Premier Dental to evaluate the PCR of the izzo system.

In addition, the average PCR (stain removal ability) of 26 advanced cleaning/whitening toothpastes from leading brands is 90. Thus, with a PCR 155, the izzo Polishing Cup/Polishing Paste system is 73% better at removing stains than the average of 26 advanced cleaning/whitening toothpastes from leading brands.

The PCR value of izzo Polishing Cup/Polishing Paste is 155. It is higher than all 26 of the most common commercial dentifrices systems with whitening claims tested in the Indiana University-Purdue University study.