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The effect of fluoride drop administration on dental caries increment--a longitudinal study
Israel Journal of Dental Sciences
|October 1, 1989
Summary
Fluoride drop supplementation significantly reduced caries in primary teeth but showed no effect on permanent molars after three years. This suggests topical fluoride
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Cariology
- Public Health Dentistry
Background:
- Dental caries remains a significant public health issue in children.
- Fluoride supplementation has been a cornerstone of caries prevention strategies.
- Understanding the timing of fluoride efficacy is crucial for optimizing treatment protocols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the longitudinal effect of fluoride drop supplementation on caries increment in primary and permanent teeth.
- To assess the differential impact of fluoride on deciduous versus permanent dentition during eruption.
- To determine the long-term cariostatic benefits of topical fluoride in a pediatric cohort.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study initiated in 1980 involving 211 children aged 7-8 and 9.5-10.5 years.
- Utilized def-t (decayed, extracted, filled teeth) and DMF-T (decayed, missing, filled teeth) indices to measure caries increment.
- Compared caries rates between an experimental fluoride group and a control group over a three-year period.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant difference in overall def-t and DMF-T scores between groups after three years.
- A significantly lower caries increment was observed in the deciduous dentition (def-t) of the experimental group (0.61) compared to the control group (1.07).
- No significant difference in caries increment was found for the first permanent molars (DMF-T = 1.62 in both groups).
Conclusions:
- Topical fluoride drop supplementation demonstrated a significant cariostatic effect on the primary dentition.
- The lack of effect on first molars is attributed to their completed crown calcification and delayed eruption during the study period.
- Optimal cariostatic benefits of fluoride are anticipated in later erupting teeth within this cohort.
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