The effect of orange peel on the tooth shade of the maxillary anterior teeth.

  This study determined the bleaching effect of Citrus reticulata (orange peel) on the natural tooth shade of maxillary anterior teeth of eight (8) students based on the sample size formula of paired-samplecomparison of means designed to detect a difference of 50% that qualified in the inclusion criteria. This study utilized a single blind pre-test and post-test design in evaluating the bleaching effects of using orange peel. This study was conducted in the Periodontics-Endodontics Department and Pedodontics Department of Cebu Doctors' University. A VITA Classical Tooth Shade Guide was used to determine the shades of the teeth before and after using orange peeland Colgate Optic White Toothpaste.

   The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test revealed that both the experimental group (orange peel) and control group (Colgate Optic White Toothpaste) had a significant difference in tooth shades between pre and post-treatment. With a .05 level of significance using orange peel, the post-treatment (Median = 4.0) tooth shade scores of tooth numbers 11 and 12 were higher compared with their pre-treatment (Median = 3.0) by 1.00 mm, z = -2.828 for tooth number 11 and z = -2.646 for tooth number 12, p < .05. Likewise, the post-treatment (Median = 3.0) tooth shade score of tooth number 13 was significantly higher compared with its pre-treatment (Median = 2.0) by 1.00 mm, z = 2.449, p < .05. Similarly, with a .05 level of significance using Colgate Optic White Toothpaste, the post-treatment (Median = 4.0) tooth shade score of tooth numbers 21 and 22 were significantly higher compared with their pre-treatment (Median = 3.0) by 1.00 mm, z = -2.828, p < .05. Likewise, the post-treatment (Median = 3.0) tooth shade of tooth number 23 was significantly higher compared with its pre-treatment (Median = 2.0) by 1.00 mm, z = -2.646, p < .05. The tooth shades of the group treated with orange peel changed from dark yellow (A3.5) to light yellow (A3) and very light yellow (A2) while majority of those with a pre-treatment tooth shade of light yellow (A3) changed to very light yellow (A2). For the group treated with Colgate Optic White Toothpaste, majority of those in a tooth shade of dark yellow (A3.5) changed to light yellow (A3) while majority of those with a pre-treatment tooth shade of light yellow (A3) changed to very light yellow (A2). The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test revealed that both the experimental group (orange peel) and control group (Colgate Optic White Toothpaste) had a significant difference in tooth shades between pre-treatment and post-treatment.

         In conclusion, the orange peel had effectively whitened the anterior teeth of selected students of Cebu Doctors' University to at least a shade lighter from its pre-treatment tooth shade similarly to Colgate Optic White. The researchers would recommend the following: For the patients, they will be provided with a cost-effective alternative for bleaching teeth such as orange peel. For the dental practitioners, they can recommend orange peel to the public as an alternative option for whitening teeth. For the dental instructors, they can impart knowledge awareness to their students that orange peel is one of the natural alternative options that can whiten teeth. For the farmers, their livelihood may benefit when the demand for orange peel increases. For the future researchers, they can use the results of this study as reference in conducting future studies. The future researchers can innovate the current study by extending days of application to fifteen to thirty days instead of 14 days. The future researchers can also further their studies into determining the length of the effect of orange peelon the tooth shade before it darkens again. The researchers recommend that orange peel extract be added as a main ingredient to create whitening toothpaste.