Objective: This study determined the effect of the administration of perioperative ibuprofen 400 mg on tooth sensitivity caused by in-office bleaching.
Methods: A triple-blind, parallel-design, randomized clinical trial was conducted on 30 adults who received placebo or ibuprofen before and after bleaching. The drugs were administered three times per day for 48 hours; the first dose was given one hour prior to the bleaching treatment. Two bleaching sessions with 35% hydrogen peroxide gel were performed with a one-week interval. Tooth sensitivity was recorded on two scales: visual analogue and five-point verbal rating scale up to 48 hours after bleaching. The shade evaluation was performed with a visual shade guide and spectrophotometer, before and 30 days after bleaching. The absolute risk of tooth sensitivity and its intensity were evaluated by Fisher exact and Mann-Whitney tests, respectively. The shade changes were evaluated by Student's t-test.
Results: Both groups showed similar absolute risk of tooth sensitivity (p>0.05). Lower tooth sensitivity was observed in the experimental group only up to one hour postbleaching (p=0.04). Similar tooth sensitivity was observed in the other periods of time.
Conclusion: The perioperative use of the anti-inflammatory ibuprofen was not able to avoid tooth sensitivity but reduced its intensity up to one hour after bleaching.