title: Effect of professional flossing with NaF or SnF2 gel on approximal caries in 13-16-year-old schoolchildren.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of professional flossing with NaF and SnF2 gels on caries development on approximal tooth surfaces. Two-hundred-and-eighty 13-year-old schoolchildren were divided into 3 groups: (1) NaF (n = 97), (2) SnF2 (n = 85), and (3) placebo gel group (n = 98). The investigation was carried out double-blind. The children were treated 4 times a year for 3 years with 1% NaF gel, 1% SnF2 gel, or placebo gel. The treatment was carried out by dental nurses and the time required per visit was approximately 10 min. After 3 years, the mean approximal caries increment, including initial caries lesions, was 2.8 in the NaF, 2.4 in the SnF2, and 4.0 in the placebo gel group (P< 0.05 for SnF2 vs placebo); a reduction compared to the placebo of 30% and 39% in the NaF and SnF2 groups, respectively. Thus, professional flossing with NaF or SnF2 gel carried out 4 times a year may be considered as an interesting caries-preventing method for large-scale application in schoolchildren.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology, Faculty of Odontology, Göteborg University, Sweden.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gisselsson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Birkhed
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Emilson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005460:Fluorides, Topical / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012969:Sodium Fluoride / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014002:Tin Fluorides / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D005460:Fluorides, Topical; D005782:Gels; D014002:Tin Fluorides; D012969:Sodium Fluoride