A comparison between the anticariogenic effects of dentifrices containing stannous fluoride and sodium fluoride

Abstract

It is well established that sodium fluoride added to a fluorine-deficient water supply or applied topically to the erupted teeth o f children will reduce the incidence of dental caries.1,2 In an attempt to find fluoride compounds with greater anticariogenicity than sodium fluoride, a considerable amount o f experimental work has been undertaken. Numerous studies involving a variety o f different experimental technics have all indicated the superiority o f the tin fluorides over sodium fluoride. These include solubility reduction tests on powdered dental enamel3 and intact enamel surfaces,4 experimental dental caries studies in rats57 and hamsters,8 as well as human clinical topical studies.9,10 In addition, it has been reported recently that with both children11 and adults,12 stannous fluoride is effective in reducing the inci­ dence o f dental caries when placed in a dentifrice in which the abrasive is a heattreated calcium phosphate. It thus became o f interest to determine whether the use o f a dentifrice contain­ ing sodium fluoride and one containing stannous fluoride would result in similar reductions in dental caries in children. This report indicates the effect o f each o f these fluorides when placed in identi­ cal dentifrices. The results after one year corroborate the superiority o f stannous fluoride as an anticariogenic agent.