Prediction of root caries in periodontally treated patients maintained with different fluoride programmes

The aims of the investigation were to evaluate the effect of different fluoride programmes, as adjuncts to professional plaque control every 3-4 months, on root caries incidence in periodontally treated patients and to identify risk factors for root caries development. Ninety-nine individuals, 33-76 years old, who had been treated for periodontal disease were subjected to one of three fluoride programmes during a 2-year period: (1) professional application, 3-4 times/year, of Duraphat (n = 34) or (2) of a 0.4% stannous fluoride gel (n = 33), or (3) daily mouthrinsing with a 0.05% sodium fluoride solution (n = 32). A number of clinical recordings and laboratory tests, used as presumptive risk indicators for root caries, were carried out before and on three different occasions after the periodontal treatment. No statistically significant differences were found between the various fluoride programmes. During the 2-year period, a total of 246 new decayed or filled surfaces (DFS) were recorded, 72 (29.3%) of which were diagnosed as active and 124 (50.4%) as inactive root caries lesions; 50 (20.3%) of the surfaces had been restored. Individuals with > or = 1 new root DFS during the 2 years (n = 50) differed significantly from those with 0 new root DFS (n = 49) as concerns salivary counts of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli, root plaque scores and percentage of exposed root surfaces. Baseline root caries prevalence (r = 0.43) and root plaque scores (r = 0.36) showed the highest correlations with new root DFS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)