Fluoride varnish or fluoride mouth rinse? A comparative study of two school-based programs

Area of Science:

• Dental Public Health
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Caries Prevention

Background:

• School-based fluoride programs are common in Denmark for children at high risk of cavities.
• These programs supplement daily tooth brushing for enhanced oral hygiene.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of two school-based fluoride interventions in preventing caries among children aged 6-12.
• The study evaluated fluoride varnish (FV) against weekly fluoride mouth rinses (FMR).

Main Methods:

• A 2-year clinical controlled trial was conducted in a multicultural, low-socioeconomic suburban area of Odense, Denmark.
• 1,018 children (6-12 years) from 9 schools were randomized into FV (semi-annual applications) or FMR (weekly rinses) groups.
• Caries increment in permanent teeth was measured at initial and cavitated lesion levels.

Main Results:

• After two years, 961 children were re-examined, with no statistically significant differences between groups.
• The mean DMFS increment was 0.36 for the FV group and 0.41 for the FMR group.
• Initial caries lesion increments were 0.83 for FV and 0.91 for FMR.

Conclusions:

• Neither fluoride varnish nor fluoride mouth rinses demonstrated statistically significant superiority in caries prevention over two years.
• Both school-based fluoride programs showed comparable results in this pediatric population.
• The findings suggest that both FV and FMR are effective in managing caries risk in school-aged children.