Evaluation of herbal gel toothpaste formulated using bay leaf essential oil on physicochemical characteristics and extrinsic stain removal

Bay (Syzygium polyanthum) leaf may be used as an extrinsic stain-removing agent in toothpaste. This study assesses the formula of bay leaf essential oil toothpaste in terms of physicochemical and extrinsic stain removal properties.

Using a gel composition with varying quantities of bay leaf essential oil (0%, 0.125%, 0.25%, and 0.5% v/v), tubes of toothpaste were formulated. Commercial stain-removal toothpaste was used as a positive control. Five toothpastes were evaluated based on their organoleptic properties, pH, moisture content, foaming ability, abrasiveness, spreadability, gritty matter, and homogeneity. Extrinsic stain removal evaluation was carried out using 20 bovine teeth that were split into five groups of toothpaste (n = 4). The specimens were tea-stained and submitted to simulated brushing. The colour difference (ΔE) was analysed to evaluate extrinsic stain removal using the parameter of CIE-Lab (Commision Internacional de l’Eclairage L*a*b). Using a chromameter, the L*a*b value of the teeth before and after brushing was used to measure the ΔE value. Data were analysed through one-way ANOVA with a confidence level of 95%.

All tubes of toothpaste tested met acceptable physicochemical parameter standards. The bay leaf essential oil toothpaste with 0.25% and 0.5% v/v concentrations, as well as commercial toothpaste, produced better ΔE values than the 0% v/v group. There were no statistically significant differences between bay leaf essential oil at 0.5% v/v and commercial toothpaste (P > 0.05).

Results demonstrated that bay leaf essential oil toothpaste had an extrinsic stain removal effect equivalent to positive control and promoted good physicochemical characteristics.