Dentifrices: recent clinical findings and implications for use.

Abstract

Since fluoride dentifrices first became available over 30 years ago many formulation changes regarding fluoride type, concentration and abrasive systems have occurred to improve stability, compatibility, and also bioavailability of active ingredients. As a result, it is now established that from 1000-2800 ppm F, there is a dose-response relationship. However, at fluoride levels below 1000 ppm, efficacy has yet to be established fully. In the recent past, meta-analytic techniques employed on data concerning > 14,000 clinical trial subjects from 12 studies, have established that the use of NaF in a correctly formulated silica base provides superior caries protection than does either an NaF + SMFP, or SMFP dentifrice. Furthermore, the incorporation of anti-calculus and anti-microbial agents into fluoride dentifrices has not been shown to have any effect--either beneficial or adverse--on caries levels. Investigations designed to optimise the benefit obtained from fluoride-containing toothpastes, have demonstrated that toothbrushing frequency and post-brushing oral rinsing habits can significantly affect caries levels, as assessed over a 3-year period. However, as dentifrice ingestion by young children is now an established fact, care must be exercised when advising parents regarding fluoridated dentifrice usage as part of a prevention regime for children under 6-7 years of age. Nonetheless, while there would appear to be a dentifrice-related fluorosis problem in North America, such evidence as currently exists within the UK, does not indicate that the level of symmetrical mottling currently observed (< 6 per cent in > 8,500 12-14-year-olds) constitutes any public health problem.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)