Professionally applied fluoride gel in low-caries 10.5-year-olds.
The question has been raised whether low-caries children regularly using fluoride toothpaste will benefit from the professional application of additional fluoride gel. To investigate the caries-reducing effect of semi-annually-applied neutral 1% sodium fluoride gel, we carried out a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial (n = 594) in a child population, initially aged 9.5-11.5 years, with baseline caries experience of D3MFS = 0 (decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces of permanent teeth). The mean number of tooth surfaces saved from caries development by fluoride gel application after 4 years was 0.2 D3MFS (SE = 0.17). The preventive fraction (PF) showed a mean relative effect of professionally applied fluoride gel of 18%. The cariostatic effect of the fluoride gel on pits and fissures would have been influenced by the sealant strategy in the study. Professionally applied fluoride gel showed no statistically significant effect on mean D3MFS score in low-caries 9.5- to 11.5-year-olds.
Truin
G J
GJ
Department of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry/117, Radboud University, Nijmegen Medical Center, PO Box 9101, NL-6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. g.truin@dent.umcn.nl
van 't Hof
M A
MA
D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000187:drug effects; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005460:Fluorides, Topical / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D010919:Placebos; D012969:Sodium Fluoride / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019228:Tooth Crown / Q000187:drug effects
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D005460:Fluorides, Topical; D005782:Gels; D010919:Placebos; D012969:Sodium Fluoride