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Low-fluoride dentifrice and caries lesion control in children with different caries experience: a randomized clinical trial.

Lima TJ, Ribeiro CC, Tenuta LM, Cury JA

Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Maranhão, UFMA, São Luís, Brazil.

Since there is no consensus on the anticaries effectiveness of low-fluoride (F) dentifrice, this randomized clinical trial evaluated its effect in children at different caries activity status. One hundred and twenty 2- to 4-year-old children, half with and half without active caries lesions, were randomly divided into 2 groups which used 500- or 1,100-microg F/g (NaF) dentifrices during 1 year. Caries progression or regression were evaluated as the number of lesions becoming active/cavities or inactive, respectively. The anticaries effect of the low-F dentifrice was similar to the conventional F dentifrice when used by caries-inactive children. However, in children with active caries lesions the low-F dentifrice was less effective than the 1,100-microg F/g dentifrice in controlling the progression of lesions. The data suggest that the child caries activity may be taken into account to recommend a low-F dentifrice.

Published 21 January 2008 in Caries Res, 42(1): 46-50.
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