Analysis of 1-Minute Potentially Available Fluoride from Dentifrice

Previous reports found that some fluoride-containing dentifrices do not release effective concentrations of fluoride during brushing. Failure to release fluoride can be due to dentifrice matrix components that interfere with the solubilization of the fluoride salts during brushing. A new generation of dentifrices has the capability to precipitate beneficial fluoride salts during tooth brushing. Therefore, a method that assesses the potentially available fluoride during the 1-minute brushing is needed. A new filter-paper absorption method to assess the 1-min bioavailable fluoride concentration was developed to meet this need. This method utilizes coiled filter paper that rapidly absorbs the aqueous phase of the dentifrice slurry followed by centrifugation to recover that fluid for fluoride measurement via fluoride ion-selective electrode. The analytical method was used to successfully determine the total fluoride and 1-min bioavailable fluoride in eight dentifrice products containing sodium fluoride (NaF), disodium monofluorophosphate (Na₂FPO₃, MFP), stannous fluoride (SnF₂), or NaF with amorphous calcium phosphate (NaF + ACP). The results showed that some of the dentifrices tested had significantly lower potentially available fluoride than the total fluoride. For a MFP-containing sample, aged seven years past its expiry date, there was significant reduction in the bioavailable fluoride compared to MFP products that were not aged. Other than the aged MFP and the SnF₂-containing samples the bioavailable fluoride for all products tested had at least 80 % of the label fluoride concentration. The filter paper absorption method yielded reproducible results for the products tested with MFP samples showing the largest variations.