title: Caries management with fluoride agents.
abstract: Dental caries is the single most common, chronic oral disease of childhood. It is progressive and cumulative, and becomes more complex over time. The Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health revealed that more than 51 million school hours are lost each year as a result of dental problems. Contemporary caries management philosophy has changed from the traditional surgical approach to a medical model that emphasizes prevention. Among various strategies for caries prevention or reduction, fluoride therapy has been highly promoted. Various in-office and over-the-counter fluoride products are available for caries prevention. Dental professionals should identify and assess the caries risk level of patients and optimize the use of fluorides in caries management. Since multiple sources of fluoride exposure exist, a coordinated approach to fluoride delivery is essential.
authors.affiliation: Dental Hygiene Department, New York City College of Technology, City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA. alam@citytech.cuny.edu
authors.forename: Anty
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility; D005457:Fluoridation; D005459:Fluorides / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005460:Fluorides, Topical / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D005460:Fluorides, Topical; D005459:Fluorides