A comparison of the anticaries effect on the primary dentition of two dentifrices containing 250 ppm and 1450 ppm...

The purpose of the study was to compare the anticaries effects of two dentifrices containing sodium fluoride with fluoride concentrations of 250 ppm and 1450 ppm on the primary dentition of kindergarten children. A total of 319 children participated in the study (155 in the low-fluoride and 164 in the high-fluoride group) and brushed their teeth daily under supervision in their kindergartens. The children were examined by one dentist trained according to the procedures of O'Mullane et al., and carious lesions were recorded at the cavitation level according to the WHO criteria. At the final examination after 22 months, the groups comprised 83 (low-fluoride group) and 89 (high-fluoride group) children. The differences in mean dmfs and dmft increments between the two groups were not statistically significant. In both groups about 57% of the children remained caries free. Excluding these children from the analyses, the mean dmfs increment was significantly lower in the high-fluoride group, but not the mean dmft increment. The mean dmfs increment excluding occlusal surfaces was significantly lower in the high-fluoride group.