the effect of recommended mouthwashes on the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets during the covid-19 pandemic: an in vitro study

Objectives: this study aimed to assess the impact of recommended mouthwashes (chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide, and povidone-iodine) used during the covid-19 pandemic on the shear bond strength (sbs) of orthodontic brackets.materials and methods: a total of 52 human premolar teeth were divided into 4 groups (n=13) consisting of no intervention (control group), 0.2% chlorhexidine, 1.5% hydrogen peroxide, and 0.2% povidone-iodine. following immersion in the mouthwashes, orthodontic brackets were bonded to enamel surfaces. then, the brackets were debonded using a universal testing machine. the specimens were evaluated with a scanning electron microscope (sem) and adhesive remnant index (ari) score was assessed. one-way anova and tukey test were used for statistical analysis and p<0.05 was considered significant.results: the sbs of the experimental groups decreased compared to the control group. the highest sbs mean value was observed in the controls and the lowest was found in the 0.2% povidone-iodine group. significant differences in sbs values were found between the 0.2% povidone-iodine group and the 1.5% hydrogen peroxide group when compared to the control group (p=0.023, p=0.028, respectively). sem analysis revealed similar characteristics among the groups, with a closer resemblance between the chlorhexidine and control groups. additionally, these groups exhibited greater etching depth compared to the other groups.conclusion: our findings highlight the importance of careful selection and application of mouthwashes in orthodontic procedures. while 1.5% hydrogen peroxide and 0.2% povidone-iodine may have some impact on bond strength, their use can still be considered acceptable within defined limits.