Effect of fluoridated milk on caries in primary teeth: 21-month results

Use of fluoridated milk has been shown to be a safe and effective method to prevent caries in permanent teeth in children. However, studies on its effectiveness on caries prevention in the primary teeth are scarce. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of milk fluoridation on caries development in young Chinese children.

This was a community-based demonstration study carried out in Beijing, China. All children in three selected kindergartens were invited to participate. Each participant consumed 200 ml of fluoridated milk (concentration 2.5 mg F- per litre) per day from Monday to Friday in the kindergarten, and was given two packs of fluoridated milk (250 ml) for consumption at home on Saturday and Sunday every week. Children from a similar background, but without access to fluoridated milk, attending two other kindergartens, were used as the control.

There were 534 children (mean age 54 +/- 4 months) and 305 children (mean age 53 +/- 4 months) in the test and control groups, respectively, at baseline. After 21 months, 417 and 247 children in the test and control groups, respectively, remained in the study. There was no statistically significant difference in the baseline mean dmft scores between the two groups (3.2 vs. 3.5, P = 0.312). After 21 months, the mean net caries increment was 0.4 dmft for the test group and 1.3 dmft for the control group (t-test, P < 0.001).

The consumption of fluoridated milk by the kindergarten children in Beijing was an effective measure in preventing caries in the primary teeth.