Abstract
Objective: To investigate the effect of Arabic coffee on bleached teeth in comparison to black coffee. Material and Methods: Forty teeth (sound maxillary or mandibular premolars with no carious lesions) were randomly selected into 4 groups (A, B, C and D). One group (A) did not receive bleaching and was incubated in saline. The second group (B) was bleached and then incubated in saline. The last two groups were bleached and were immersed in either Arabic coffee (C) or black coffee (D). Color recording of the samples was always carried out as near to their mid-buccal surfaces as possible using VITA Easyshade Advance System. Color measurements were carried out using a digital spectrophotometer at baseline and after short-term and long-term immersion. Data were subjected to two way ANOVA and T-test. The level of significance was set at was set at 0.05. Results: Results show that immersion in Arabic coffee resulted only in significant reduction in the b* color value upon long-term immersion (i.e. a reduction in the yellow hue). Black coffee on the other hand resulted in significant: reduction in lightness, increased red tint and increased yellow hue altogether. Conclusion: The use of Arabic coffee did not deteriorate color, with the only significant change being the reduction of yellowish hue. Arabic coffee could be an alternative to black coffee after bleaching.