Nowadays, whitening of stained teeth has become the most popular topic in aesthetic and cosmetic dentistry. Because of the side effects of materials that were used for bleaching, in this study the effects of some plants which were used in Anatolian folk medicine on the treatment of tooth staining were examined. In this study, upper central incisors which were extracted for periodontal reasons were used. The colour values of numbered teeth were obtained and the teeth were immersed into three different essential oils of medicinal plants (Mentha piperita, Ocimum basilicum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis) for different time periods (1 day, 1 week, 1 month). At the end of the immersion periods, colour measurements of all samples were made and the colour changes were analysed. Obtained data were statistically analysed by using ANOVA and Duncan test. As a result of the variance analysis, plant species and the duration of immersion was found to be statistically significant. Within the limits of this study, we can indicate that tested medicinal plants has a whitening effect by resulting significant change in tooth colour.

Nowadays, whitening of stained teeth has become the most popular topic in aesthetic and cosmetic dentistry. Because of the side effects of materials that were used for bleaching, in this study the effects of some plants which were used in Anatolian folk medicine on the treatment of tooth staining were examined. In this study, upper central incisors which were extracted for periodontal reasons were used. The colour values of numbered teeth were obtained and the teeth were immersed into three different essential oils of medicinal plants (Mentha piperita, Ocimum basilicum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis) for different time periods (1 day, 1 week, 1 month). At the end of the immersion periods, colour measurements of all samples were made and the colour changes were analysed. Obtained data were statistically analysed by using ANOVA and Duncan test. As a result of the variance analysis, plant species and the duration of immersion was found to be statistically significant. Within the limits of this study, we can indicate that tested medicinal plants has a whitening effect by resulting significant change in tooth colour.