A comparison of four home-care fluoride programs on the caries incidence in the elderly.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the caries preventive effect of 4 fluoride programs over 2 years in the elderly.


METHODS
The Public Dental Clinics of Bålsta and Knivsta and the Faculty of Odontology in Göteborg, Sweden.


METHODS
One hundred and sixty-four individuals, aged 60 years and older (mean age 71.5 years) who were considered to be at risk from caries.


METHODS
The participants were randomly assigned either to: 1) rinse twice a day with a 0.05% NaF solution (n = 49; rinsing group), 2) suck twice a day on a 1.66 mg NaF tablet (n = 51; tablet group), 3) brush their teeth three times a day using a toothpaste slurry rinsing technique (n = 32; slurry group), or 4) brush their teeth in their usual manner (n = 32; control group). The participants in all 4 groups used a fluoride toothpaste (containing 0.32% NaF) at least twice daily.


RESULTS
No new carious lesions were found in 67% of the participants in the rinsing, 43% in the tablet, 25% in the slurry and 16% in the control group over the 2 years. The mean (+/- SD) 2-year caries increment was 0.8 +/- 1.4, 1.4 +/- 1.7, 1.9 +/- 1.9 and 2.3 +/- 2.1 DFS in the rinsing, tablet, slurry and control groups, respectively; it was significantly lower in the rinsing than in the control group (p < 0.01). A lower incidence of DFS was also found in the tablet group than in the slurry group, but only for the lingual surfaces (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The type of fluoride program may be of importance in the reduction of new caries lesions in an older population.
Fure
S
S
Department of Cariology, Institute of Odontology, Göteborg University, Sweden. fure@odontologi.gu.se
Gahnberg
L
L
Birkhed
D
D
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004245:DMF Index; D016321:Dental Care for Aged; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009067:Mouthwashes; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012646:Self Administration; D012969:Sodium Fluoride / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013607:Tablets; D014100:Toothpastes
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D009067:Mouthwashes; D013607:Tablets; D014100:Toothpastes; D012969:Sodium Fluoride