Biomaterial Database

Fluoride-containing gels, mouth rinses and varnishes: an update of evidence of efficacy. 2009

S Poulsen

Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark. spoulsen@odont.au.dk

OBJECTIVE This was to review and update knowledge from presently available systematic reviews of clinical trials on the effect of fluoride containing gels, mouth rinses and varnishes. METHODS The review was based on an electronic search of three data bases (PubMed 2000 to 2008, EMBASE 2000- 2009, Cochrane 2000-2008) using a search profile similar to that used in previous Cochrane reviews on the caries-preventive effect of topical fluoride methods. Only randomized and semi-randomized trials were included. RESULTS Four new studies were identified on fluoride-containing gels, one on fluoride mouth rinses and four on fluoride-containing varnishes. Prevented fractions obtained in the permanent dentition were consistent with the estimates found in previous reviews, while the effect obtained on caries in the primary dentition remains uncertain. The only study that compared the effect of different fluoride compounds, could not find any difference. CONCLUSIONS The effect of the three methods on caries in the permanent dentition is well described, while the effect on caries in the primary dentition remains to be determined. The effect of choice of fluoride compound is also not known.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009067	Mouthwashes	Solutions for rinsing the mouth, possessing cleansing, germicidal, or palliative properties. (From Boucher's Clinical Dental Terminology, 4th ed)	Mouth Bath,Mouth Rinse,Mouth Wash,Bath, Mouth,Baths, Mouth,Mouth Baths,Mouth Rinses,Rinse, Mouth,Rinses, Mouth,Wash, Mouth
D002327	Cariostatic Agents	Substances that inhibit or arrest DENTAL CARIES formation. (Boucher's Clinical Dental Terminology, 4th ed)	Cariostatic Effect,Cariostatic Effects,Agent, Cariostatic,Agents, Cariostatic,Cariostatic Agent,Effect, Cariostatic,Effects, Cariostatic
D003731	Dental Caries	Localized destruction of the tooth surface initiated by decalcification of the enamel followed by enzymatic lysis of organic structures and leading to cavity formation. If left unchecked, the cavity may penetrate the enamel and dentin and reach the pulp.	Caries, Dental,Carious Lesions,Dental Cavities,Dental Cavity,Dental Decay,Dental White Spots,Carious Dentin,Decay, Dental,Dental White Spot,White Spot, Dental,White Spots, Dental,Carious Dentins,Carious Lesion,Cavities, Dental,Cavity, Dental,Dentin, Carious,Dentins, Carious,Lesion, Carious,Lesions, Carious,Spot, Dental White,Spots, Dental White
D005459	Fluorides	Inorganic salts of hydrofluoric acid, HF, in which the fluorine atom is in the -1 oxidation state. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Sodium and stannous salts are commonly used in dentifrices.	Fluoride
D005460	Fluorides, Topical	Fluorides, usually in pastes or gels, used for topical application to reduce the incidence of DENTAL CARIES.	Fluoride Varnishes,Topical Fluorides,Varnishes, Fluoride
D005782	Gels	Colloids with a solid continuous phase and liquid as the dispersed phase; gels may be unstable when, due to temperature or other cause, the solid phase liquefies; the resulting colloid is called a sol.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014070	Tooth	One of a set of bone-like structures in the mouth used for biting and chewing.	Teeth
D014094	Tooth, Deciduous	The teeth of the first dentition, which are shed and replaced by the permanent teeth.	Primary Tooth,Tooth, Primary,Baby Teeth,Baby Tooth,Dentition, Deciduous,Dentition, Primary,Milk Teeth,Milk Tooth,Primary Teeth,Teeth, Deciduous,Teeth, Primary,Deciduous Dentition,Deciduous Dentitions,Deciduous Teeth,Deciduous Tooth,Dentitions, Deciduous,Dentitions, Primary,Primary Dentition,Primary Dentitions,Teeth, Baby,Teeth, Milk,Tooth, Baby,Tooth, Milk
D016032	Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic	Works about clinical trials that involve at least one test treatment and one control treatment, concurrent enrollment and follow-up of the test- and control-treated groups, and in which the treatments to be administered are selected by a random process, such as the use of a random-numbers table.	Clinical Trials, Randomized,Controlled Clinical Trials, Randomized,Trials, Randomized Clinical