Caries prevention with fluoride varnish in a socially deprived community

It has been suggested that specific preventive programs be developed for children with high caries risk. One possibility is to consider whole classes in socially deprived schools as caries-risk groups and perform an intensified preventive program for the entire class.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of such a program which includes the application of a fluoride varnish (Duraphat).

The application of the varnish was offered three to four times a year in a community with low socio-economic status and a generally high caries level. Two hundred and sixty-nine children in six primary schools of Linden/Limmer, a district in Hannover, Germany, were allocated to a test or a control group. The test group received the fluoride varnish for 4 years whereas the control group received no professional fluoride application. DMFT was recorded at the beginning of the study and after 4 years.

At the end of the study, children who had received a minimum of two fluoride applications per year showed a significantly lower caries increment in comparison with the control group (0.88 DMFT vs 1.39 DMFT, P < 0.05).

It can be concluded that a minimum of two applications of the fluoride varnish Duraphat per year may be an effective measure in preventing caries in socially deprived children with high caries activity.