High-fluoride toothpaste: a multicenter randomized controlled trial in adults

Area of Science:

• Dental research
• Cariology
• Preventive dentistry

Background:

• Root caries is a prevalent issue in adults, particularly among older populations.
• Conventional fluoride toothpastes may not be sufficient for managing existing root caries lesions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of high-fluoride toothpaste in improving the surface hardness of root caries lesions in adults.
• To compare the efficacy of 5000 ppm F toothpaste against 1350 ppm F toothpaste for root caries treatment.

Main Methods:

• A single-blind, multicenter, randomized controlled trial involving 130 adult patients with root caries.
• Patients were allocated to either a high-fluoride (5000 ppm F) or regular-fluoride (1350 ppm F) toothpaste group.
• Clinical examinations and surface hardness scoring were conducted at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.

Main Results:

• No significant differences between groups at baseline in gender, age, or surface hardness.
• The high-fluoride toothpaste group showed significantly improved surface hardness scores at 3 and 6 months (P < 0.0001).
• No significant interaction between time-point and group was observed.

Conclusions:

• Twice-daily application of high-fluoride toothpaste (5000 ppm F) effectively enhances the surface hardness of untreated root caries lesions in adults.
• High-fluoride toothpaste represents a superior option compared to regular fluoride toothpaste for managing root caries.