利用低溫常壓氦氣電漿束搭配食鹽水進行牙齒美白之研究

Abstract

一般診所治療使用及市售的美白劑皆含過氧化氫（H2O2）成分，易造成琺瑯質受損；目前研究顯示電漿產生之氫氧根原子（·OH）能夠造成牙齒美白，因此Fang.等人使用空氣電漿與食鹽水進行牙齒美白實驗，發現此美白效果佳於使用過氧化氫凝膠，但空氣電漿產生之有害氣體（臭氧）較多，不適用於人體。因此本研究使用低溫常壓氦氣電漿束（Helium-based low temperature atmospheric-pressure plasma jet, He_APPJ）搭配食鹽水進行牙齒美白實驗，以減少琺瑯質受損與臭氧產生。本實驗將牙齒分為三組，A組為氦氣氣流與食鹽水；B組為使用市售美白凝膠（含35%的H2O2）；C組為He_APPJ與食鹽水，以觀測He_APPJ與食鹽水之美白效果是否比市售美白膠好，且琺瑯質受損較少。在牙齒表面觀測部分，CIE分析結果顯示使用He_APPJ搭配食鹽水之美白效果最佳；且電子掃描顯微鏡（SEM）照片顯示使用He_APPJ處理後之琺瑯質損傷程度比美白凝膠小。在電漿特性觀察部分，光譜分析儀（OES）結果顯示在波長309 nm（含OH原子團）處有明顯強度，對-苯二甲酸（TA）測試與過氧化氫（H2O2）測試結果顯示He_APPJ能夠在食鹽水中產生·OH及H2O2，從此結果推測He_APPJ在食鹽水中產生之·OH與H2O2極有可能為造成牙齒美白的關鍵。在安全性評估方面，經量測顯示He_APPJ所產生之臭氧極少（低於0.35ppm），且不會造成食鹽水之pH值改變（維持在7.42），應不會對人體造成傷害，因此He_APPJ搭配食鹽水是一個極具潛力且安全的牙齒美白方法。

Nowadays, tooth-bleaching methods are based primarily on using compounds containing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). However, H2O2 gel resulting in enamel damage is a common side effect. Studies have shown hydroxyl radicals (·OH) generated from plasma can bleach tooth. Therefore, Fang. et al. use air plasma with saline to do tooth bleaching experiment, and results show bleaching efficacy of plasma treated tooth is better than using H2O2 gel. Nevertheless, plenty of harmful gas (e.g. ozone) are generated from air plasma. In this study, we performed a tooth bleaching method by using helium-based low temperature atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (He_APPJ) and saline solution to do tooth bleaching. Thus, saline was applied to keep tooth surface moist instead of H2O2 gel to protect enamel and decrease ozone production. Teeth samples were separated into three groups and treated with three different ways, respectively: a helium blow with saline, simply H2O2 gel, and He_APPJ with saline. In teeth observation part, bleaching efficacy (ΔE) of He_APPJ treated tooth was the best of all groups. Furthermore, scanning electron microscope (SEM) photos showed enamel of using He_APPJ with saline was less injured than using bleaching gel. In plasma characteristic observation, Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) results showed there was obvious intensity at wavelength 309 nm where hydroxyl radicals (·OH) exists. In addition, terephthalic acid (TA) test and H2O2 test results show He_APPJ produced ·OH and H2O2 in saline. It’s considered ·OH and H2O2 produced by He_APPJ may be a crucial factor for He_APPJ to do tooth bleaching. In safety concern, ozone test result shows He_APPJ produced little ozone (under 0.35 ppm) which is harmless to human body. In conclusion, it is considered that He_APPJ is a promising and safe way to do tooth bleaching.