A study on caries prevention effects of dentifrices containing sodium monofluorophosphate, sodium monofluorophosphate plus dextranase, and sodium monofluorophosphate plus sodium phosphate.

Abstract

Schoolchildren were asked to use dentifrices containing three different agents for one year: the agents were sodium monofluorophosphate, sodium monofluorophosphate plus dextranase, and sodium monofluorophosphate plus sodium phosphate. The caries prevention effects of these dentifrices were studied. The group of children who used dentifrice containing 0.76% sodium monofluorophosphate showed a 25.5% caries inhibition rate, and a statistically significant difference was observed in the rate of DF surfaces which increased during the test period in contrast to the control group. A significant difference was also found between the group of children who used dentifrice containing sodium monofluorophosphate alone and another group of children who used dentifrice containing sodium monofluorophosphate plus dextranase (15, 000 units/g dentifrice added to sodium monofluorophosphate). An addition of dextranase resulted in an increase of 16.8% in the rate of caries inhibition. Another group of children who used dentifrice containing sodium monofluorophosphate to which 3% sodium phosphate was added showed a 4.6% higher caries inhibition rate than that shown in the group using dentifrice containing sodium monofluorophosphate alone, but there was no statistically significant difference in the rate of increased DF surfaces between these two groups. Furthermore, the caries prevention effects by tooth type and tooth surface were also evaluated for these three kinds of dentifrice. Moreover, it was confirmed that a continuous use of these four dentifrices over the period of one year did not result in oral anomalies either subjectively nor objectively.