Effects of different amounts of a low fluoride toothpaste on primary enamel lesion progression: a preliminary study using in vitro pH-cycling system.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate and compare the efficacy of pea and half-pea portions of child formula fluoride (500 ppm) toothpaste on artificially created enamel lesions in primary teeth.


METHODS
Sound primary incisors were painted with nail varnish, leaving a 1 mm wide window and then placed in a demineralising solution for 96 h to produce artificial carious lesions 60-100 microm deep. The teeth were longitudinally sectioned (100 microm thick) and divided into 3 groups. Group A: treated with a pea-sized portion of a non-fluoride containing toothpaste (1:3, toothpaste: deionized water), while Groups B and C were treated with half-pea-sized and pea-sized portions of a 500 ppm fluoride containing toothpaste, respectively. The pH-cycling model was utilized for 7 days.


RESULTS
Groups A and B lesions increased in depth by 60% while those in Group C increased by 19%. The mineral content of the surface zone decreased significantly in Groups A and B but not in Group C.


CONCLUSIONS
Reduction of the amount of fluoride toothpaste to less than a pea-size in order to minimize the risk of fluorosis should be undertaken with caution because it may compromise the cariostatic effects of the toothpaste.
Itthagarun
A
A
Paediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR. a.itthagarun@griffith.edu.au
Thaveesangpanich
P
P
King
N M
NM
Tay
F R
FR
Wefel
J S
JS
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007180:Incisor; D008852:Microradiography; D012969:Sodium Fluoride / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D017001:Tooth Demineralization / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014089:Tooth Remineralization; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D014100:Toothpastes; D012969:Sodium Fluoride