Objectives: To investigate the effect of tooth whitening on salivary levels of Lactobacillus (LB) and Streptococcus mutans (SM). Methods: The study covered 60 patients (18 to 48 years). Saliva samples were tested prior to application of tooth whitening products and after 14 days of treatment, using Dentocult SM-Strip mutans (Orion Diagnostica) and Dentocult LB (Vivadent). Results: Results prior to application of the tooth whitening products: - level of LB micro-organisms: 11.7 % constituted patients whose LB level reached 1000/ml, (7 persons), 36.6 % of patients reached an LB level of 10.000/ml, (22 persons), 35.0 % of patients reached an LB level of 100.000/ml, (21 persons), 16.7 % of patients reached an LB level of 1.000.000/ml (10 persons); - level of SM micro-organisms: there were no patients recorded in Class 0 (0%), 8 persons were recorded in Class 1 (13.4 %) , 31 persons were recorded in Class 2 (51.6 %) and 21 persons were recorded in Class 3 ( 35%). Results after 14 days of the treatment: - level of LB micro-organisms: 6.6 % constituted patients whose LB level was <1000/ml - (4 persons), 38.4 % of patients reached an LB level of 1000/ml - (23 persons), 50.0 % of patients reached an LB level of 10.000/ml (30 persons), 5.0 % of patients reached an LB level of 100.000/ml (3 persons). There were no patients recorded with an LB level of 1.000.000/ml; - level of SM micro-organisms: 10.0 % constituted patients recorded in Class 0 (6 persons), 58.4 % of patients were recorded in Class 1 (35 persons), 31.6 % of patients were recorded in Class 2 (19 persons). There were no patients recorded in Class 3. Conclusions: The study revealed that the use of ‘home use' tooth whitening products significantly reduced the level of cariogenic micro-organisms in the saliva.

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