Effect of preoperative systemic capsaicin on tooth sensitivity after in‑office bleaching: A pilot study

Abstract

Background: Tooth bleaching sensitivity (TBS) after bleaching procedures is a common problem.
This study was undertaken to determine the effect of preoperative systemic capsaicin on tooth
sensitivity (TS) after in‑office bleaching procedures.
Materials and Methods: Thirty participants received the treatment in this clinical trial. The subjects
were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 15). Placebo and 0.25% capsaicin were administered
three times daily for 24 h, with the first dose being administrated 1 h before the bleaching procedure.
The subjects underwent two bleaching sessions at a 2‑week interval by applying 40% hydrogen
peroxide gel on six upper anterior teeth. A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate TS. Data
were analyzed with SPSS 24. Statistical analyses were carried out with the Wilcoxon test and paired
t‑test. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.
Results: In the capsaicin group, there was a significant increase in TBS between the immediate
and 1‑h postoperative intervals and a significant decrease between 1‑ and 24‑h postoperative
intervals (P = 0.01 and P = 0.000, respectively). In the placebo group, there was a significant decrease
between immediate and 24‑h and between 1‑ and 24‑h postoperative intervals (P = 0.007, P = 0.02).
Milder TS was detected in the placebo group 24 h after bleaching (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Under the limitations of this study, preoperative use of systemic capsaicin did not
significantly affect TS after the in‑office bleaching procedure.
Key Words: Capsaicin, tooth bleaching, tooth sensitivity