Aim
Carvedilol is an antioxidant that decreases inflammation in periodontitis. The hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) of bleaching gel causes inflammation and necrosis of the dental pulp. In the present study, we evaluated the anti‐inflammatory potential of carvedilol in the pulp of rats after bleaching.
Methods
The right upper molars of rats received 35% H2O2 (1× 30 minutes), and the left upper molars were used as the control. Half of the rats received carvedilol gel (1× 10 minutes), forming the following groups: bleached, bleached followed by carvedilol (bleached+carvedilol), and control. After 2 and 30 days (N = 7 hemi‐maxillae/group), the rats were killed for histological evaluation, and statistical tests were performed (P < 0.05).
Results
After 2 days, the bleached group showed necrosis in the occlusal third of the coronal pulp, and in the bleached+carvedilol group, severe inflammation (P > 0.05), both different from the control (P < 0.05). In the middle third, the bleached group showed severe inflammation, and the bleached+carvedilol group showed moderate inflammation (P > 0.05), with the only difference between the bleached and control groups (P < 0.05). In the cervical third, the bleached group showed moderate inflammation, and the bleached+carvedilol group showed mild inflammation (P > 0.05). The difference again was only between the bleached and control groups (P < 0.05). At 30 days, there was no inflammation and a marked amount of tertiary dentin in bleached teeth (P > 0.05).
Conclusion
Carvedilol gel has the potential of minimizing H2O2 damage, especially in deep regions of the dental pulp of rats after bleaching.