title: Effect of organic versus inorganic fluoride on enamel microhardness: An in vitro study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dental caries is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases affecting the human dentition. Fluorides are effective anti-carious agents and have been widely used for caries prevention in the form of systemic and topical fluorides. Neutral sodium fluoride (NaF) is commonly used as a topical fluoride agent. A special category of topical fluorides are organic fluorides in the form of amine fluorides (AmF). Researchers have reported that AmF is superior to inorganic fluorides in improving the caries resistance of enamel due to the significant anti-enzyme effect of the organic fragment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to compare the enamel surface micro hardness after topical application of NaF and AmF solutions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty fresh samples of sound human enamel were treated with demineralizing solution for 72 h and divided into Group A (treated with NaF) and Group B (treated with AmF) solutions for 3 min twice daily for 7 days. In between treatment, the samples were stored in artificial saliva. The enamel surface hardness was measured with Vickers hardness test at baseline, post-demineralization and post-treatment with two different fluoride solutions (NaF and AmF) and a comparative analysis was made.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The increase in mean micro hardness of human enamel after treatment with AmF application was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.01) when compared to the mean micro hardness after treatment with NaF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fluoride enhances the remineralization process by accelerating the growth of enamel crystals that have been demineralized. It can be concluded from the present study that AmF compounds result in a marked increase in enamel micro hardness when compared to NaF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Bangalore Institute of Dental Sciences and Postgraduate Research Center, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Priyadarshini
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sh
authors.forename: Ramya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raghu
authors.forename: Ashish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.forename: Pm
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gautham
authors.forename: Satyanarayana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Raghu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
keywords: Amine fluoride; dental caries; micro hardness; remineralization; sodium fluoride