The effect of poly(acrylic acid) cleanser on the adhesion of a glass polyalkenoate cement to enamel and dentine

The effect of 25 per cent poly(acrylic acid) solution on the adhesion of a glass polyalkenoate cement to enamel and dentine was investigated and its ability to clean dentine surfaces that had been exposed to saliva was compared with that achieved with 50 per cent citric acid solution or a slurry of pumice applied with a rubber cup. Tensile bond strength measurements showed that pretreatment of enamel and dentine with poly(acrylic acid) had no deleterious effect on the adhesion of the glass polyalkenoate cement and that it was as effective as citric acid or a slurry of pumice in cleaning dentine surfaces that had been exposed to saliva for 1 min or 10 days.