OBJECTIVE Tooth decay has been substantially reduced in New Zealand, and the difference in caries rates between fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas has narrowed. We investigated whether it is cost-effective to fluoridate water supplies that are now non-fluoridated. METHODS The net cost of fluoridation was based on the cost of fluoridating a water supply minus the averted costs of treating d...

The aim of this study was to investigate, in vitro, the morphological characteristics of demineralized primary enamel subjected to brushing with a dentifrice with or without fluoride. In order to do so, 32 enamel blocks were divided in 4 different groups containing 8 blocks each. They were separately immersed in artificial saliva for 15 days. The experimental groups were: C - control; E - submi...

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of fluoridated elastomeric ligatures on the microbiology of local dental plaque in vivo. This randomized, prospective, longitudinal, clinical trial had a split-mouth crossover design. The subjects were 30 patients at the beginning of their treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances in the orthodontic departments of the Liverpool and the...

AIM The aim of the Child Dental Health Survey in Lithgow was to establish the oral health status of primary schoolchildren to assist the local council in deciding whether to fluoridate the water and to provide a baseline for future monitoring of changes in caries rates. METHODS All six primary schools in Lithgow were invited to participate, and 653 children aged 6-12 years were clinically exa...

BACKGROUND The use of fluorides for caries prevention is well established but is linked with an increased risk of dental fluorosis, some of which may be considered to be aesthetically objectionable. Patient opinion should be considered when determining impact on aesthetics. The aim of this study was to assess participant rating of dental aesthetics (from photographic images) of 11 to 13 year ol...

Flourosis is the result of fluoride rearranging the crystalline structure of a tooth's enamel as it is still growing. It is evidence of fluoride's potency and ability to cause physiologic changes within the body and raises concerns about similar damage that may be occurring in the bones. Fluoride causes dental fluorosis by damaging the enamel-forming cells, called ameloblasts. The damage to the...

AIM The aim of the present in vitro study is to evaluate and compare antimicrobial efficacy of commercially available child's dental formulas in reduced concentrations containing different forms of fluoride against Streptococcus mutans activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS The selected dentifrices were prepared in dilutions of 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:8, and 1:16 using sterile pyrogen-free distilled water....

PURPOSE To evaluate the extrinsic stain profiles of two experimental stannous-containing dentifrice prototypes compared to two marketed control dentifrices. METHODS This was a 5-week, randomized, four-treatment, parallel group, double-blind clinical trial of healthy adults. Following a baseline Lobene Stain Index evaluation, subjects received a prophylaxis limited to the 12 anterior teeth to ...

A comparison was made of the dental health of children aged 4-5 and 9-10 in two Scottish towns, one with fluoridated drinking water and the other without. Striking differences were observed. A 44% reduction in decayed, missing, and filled deciduous teeth was found in 4-5 year-olds in the fluoridated compared with the non-fluoridated town and a 50% reduction in decayed, missing, and filled perma...