Biomaterial Database

Ingestion of fluoride dentifrice by a group of mentally handicapped children during toothbrushing. 1996

J C Chan, and D O'Donnell

MacLehose Dental Clinic, Hong Kong.

The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of fluoride dentifrice ingested by mentally handicapped children during toothbrushing. A group of 24 mentally handicapped children, aged between 3 and 12 years, were used in the study. There were encouraged to brush in their usual way with a sodium fluoride dentifrice from a preweighed tube. Rinsings and excess dentifrice were collected, and fluoride analyses were performed on the rinsings and controls. The amount of fluoride retained was in the range of 14 to 269 micrograms, with a mean of 87 micrograms, equivalent to a mean retention of 23.5% of dentifrice. This is similar to findings of studies of children of normal intelligence. Thus, fluoridated dentifrices should be used by mentally handicapped children, but, as with all young children, small amounts of dentifrice should be used, preferably under direct adult supervision.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008607	Intellectual Disability	Subnormal intellectual functioning which originates during the developmental period. This has multiple potential etiologies, including genetic defects and perinatal insults. Intelligence quotient (IQ) scores are commonly used to determine whether an individual has an intellectual disability. IQ scores between 70 and 79 are in the borderline range. Scores below 67 are in the disabled range. (from Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch55, p28)	Disability, Intellectual,Idiocy,Mental Retardation,Retardation, Mental,Deficiency, Mental,Intellectual Development Disorder,Mental Deficiency,Mental Retardation, Psychosocial,Deficiencies, Mental,Development Disorder, Intellectual,Development Disorders, Intellectual,Disabilities, Intellectual,Disorder, Intellectual Development,Disorders, Intellectual Development,Intellectual Development Disorders,Intellectual Disabilities,Mental Deficiencies,Mental Retardations, Psychosocial,Psychosocial Mental Retardation,Psychosocial Mental Retardations,Retardation, Psychosocial Mental,Retardations, Psychosocial Mental
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
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D003679	Deglutition	The act of taking solids and liquids into the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT through the mouth and throat.	Swallowing,Deglutitions,Swallowings
D003730	Dental Care for Disabled	Dental care for the emotionally, mentally, or physically disabled patient. It does not include dental care for the chronically ill (	Dental Care for Handicapped,Dentistry for Disabled,Dentistry for Handicapped,Disabled, Dentistry for,Handicapped, Dentistry for
D003802	Dentifrices	Any preparations used for cleansing teeth; they usually contain an abrasive, detergent, binder and flavoring agent and may exist in the form of liquid, paste or powder; may also contain medicaments and caries preventives.	Polishes, Dental,Dental Polishes,Dentifrice
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man