[The effectiveness of a school-based fluoride rinsing program for dental risk groups]

In the Netherlands there are still groups of children whose dental health is worse compared with the majority of children. Mostly these children are from lower socio-economic strata in the larger Dutch cities. The Municipal Health Departments in Rotterdam and Amsterdam have developed a prevention programme for those risk groups. This article concentrates on the effects of fluoride mouthrinsing in children in Rotterdam who can be considered at risk as far as dental health is considered. For a period of 5 years these children participated in a fluoride mouthrinsing program at school. At three moments in time dental examinations took place: when the children were 5-6 years old, when they were 9-10 years old and finally when they were 11-12 years old. Compared to a controlgroup it appears that after 5 years the increase of dental caries in the experimental group is significantly lower than in the controlgroup. Fluoride mouthrinsing at primary schools therefore seems to be an effective form of dental prevention for groups at risk as far as dental health is considered.