Fluoride Varnish Application Research Articles

Cost-Effective analysis of silver diamine fluoride in comparison to glass ionomer cement along with fluoride varnish in the management of early childhood caries in anganwadi centers of Mangalore: A randomized control trail

Introduction: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a major public health challenge affecting preschool children. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a noninvasive, alternative method to surgical intervention in the treatment of ECC. It has also shown to inhibit the development of new carious lesions. Materials and Methods: An open-labeled randomized controlled trail was conducted among 200 Anganwadi children. They were divided into two groups: Group A received oral prophylaxis and application of 38% SDF and Group B received oral prophylaxis, restoration using glass ionomer cement (GIC) and application of 5% sodium fluoride varnish (FV). The effectiveness in reduction of dental caries was assessed based on its ability to result in a positive outcome postintervention. Cost-effectiveness analysis, from the service provider perspective, was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of SDF when compared to GIC followed by the application of FV. Average cost-effectiveness ratio and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for all the specific outcomes were assessed. Results: The average cost for converting an individual tooth from active caries to inactive caries using SDF was 67.30 Indian Rupees (INR), whereas the same was 225.5 INR using GIC with FV. The ICER of the interventions for the total number of inactive caries postintervention was measured at −89.9, implying that Incremental costs of one extra tooth of active caries to be converted into inactive caries using SDF will cost 89.9 INR less compared to the same outcome using GIC with FV. Conclusions: Thus, the study showed that SDF was cost-effective when compared to GIC in restoring active carious lesions.

Promoting Children's Health Equity With Medical-Dental Integration.

Successful medical-dental integration is key to achieving children's health equity. In 2015, a community health center (CHC) in Boston, Massachusetts, implemented a model of interdisciplinary care in a nationwide pilot. Based on the Oral Health Delivery Framework, pediatricians were trained to assess dental caries risk and apply fluoride varnish. They were trained to offer education materials to patients, incorporate oral health assessment in pediatric practice, and document preventive dental care in the electronic health record. This study assessed the level of medical-dental integration achieved by the pilot and maintained over 2 years after program implementation. Deidentified data were provided by the CHC on all well-child visits during 2014 to 2018 for children 72 months or younger, including appointment dates, age, ethnicity, race, insurance status, and outcomes of interest (ie, whether a dental assessment was performed and whether fluoride varnish was applied). Outcomes were stratified by visit year to allow pilot (2015-2016) outcomes to be compared to pre-pilot (2014) and post-pilot (2017-2018) outcomes. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Pediatricians performed fluoride varnish applications and dental assessments in 25% and 0% of visits, respectively, at baseline; in 50.2% and 49.4% of visits, respectively, at the pilot's end; and in 56.7% and 57.3% of visits, respectively, 2 years post-pilot. The proportion of well-child visits during which pediatricians integrated oral health preventive measures increased by roughly 25% to 50% from baseline (2014) to the end of the pilot (2016) and by at least 5% from 2016 to 2018. The success of this medical-dental integration pilot underscores the need for broader implementation of interprofessional education and practice to promote children's health equity.

Early childhood caries management using fluoride varnish and neutral fluoride gel: a randomized clinical trial.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of varnish and neutral fluoride gel in the management of early childhood caries (ECC). A randomized clinical trial was conducted to compare two strategies for ECC management: topical application of neutral fluoride gel (NFG group) and varnish (FV group) every four months for a period of one year. The sample consisted of children between the ages of three and four years, enrolled in public daycare centers. The incidence of ECC between the groups was compared by assessing values (new dmfs) at two levels: d2 when enamel/dentin were affected and d3 when dentin affected. Pearson's Chi-square, Fisher's Exact, Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare the incidence and increment of caries between the NFG and FV groups (p<0.05). A total of 240 children were included in this study and 213 children (88.7%) were followed up for 12 months. The incidence of ECC was 24.1% in the GF and 21.0% in the FV groups (p=0.586). The increment of caries in d2mfs was 1.36 (95% CI = 0.83 - 1.89) in the NFG and 1.33 (95% CI = 0.75 - 1.89) in FV (p=0.756) groups. Increment of caries in d3mfs was 1.60 (95% CI = 0.95 - 2.25) in NFG and 1.40 (95% CI = 0.75 - 2.04) in FV (p=0.468). Neutral fluoride gel and fluoride varnish exhibited similar efficacy in the management of ECC after 12 months of follow-up.

Influence of two remineralizing agents on bleached enamel surface morphology and mineral composition - An In Vitro study.

To investigate the effects of bleaching with 35% hydrogen peroxide on the structure of tooth enamel and the role of two remineralizing agents for their potential to remineralize any damaged regions of enamel. Freshly extracted 32 mature permanent central incisors were selected and sectioned at the level of the cemento-enamel junction. The teeth were divided into four groups consisting of eight teeth each: No bleaching (control) [Group 1], bleaching with 35% hydrogen peroxide [Group 2], bleaching with 35% hydrogen peroxide followed by application of casein phosphopeptide amorphous calcium phosphate fluoride paste [Group 3], and bleaching with 35% hydrogen peroxide followed by application of xylitol-coated calcium phosphate fluoride varnish [Group 4]. The enamel surfaces were analyzed under the scanning electron microscope and quantitative energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Results were statistically analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's posthoc test. Group 2 revealed changes in enamel surface morphology and a statistically significant decrease in mineral content. Groups 3 and 4 showed statistically significant remineralization potential. Intergroup comparison showed that samples in Group 4 had a higher mineral content compared to Group 3. The application of the tested remineralizing agents following bleaching was effective in repairing the enamel surface morphology with higher efficacy for the fluoride varnish product. Since bleaching regimes with high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide adversely affect the enamel surface, these findings can translate to clinical practice to reduce the long-term damaging effects of tooth bleaching.

POSA93 Economic Evaluation of Fluoride Varnish Application in Iranian Schools

Dental caries is still one of the most common chronic diseases among children, although it can be prevented through early and regular professional services. This study aimed to analyze cost-effectiveness of fluoride varnish therapy intervention to develop and implement appropriate strategies in order to reduce incidence of tooth decay. This study modelled the cost-effectiveness of fluoride varnish therapy plan to prevent dental caries in elementary students with age range between 7-12 years, in Urmia, northwestern Iran. All costs and benefits were measured from a provider perspective in order to obtain the cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA). We estimated the direct medical costs of fluoride varnish in a school-based setting and compared this to the benefits of reducing the incidence of dental caries, as measured by the disability-adjusted life year (DALY) index. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) checklist was used to report this economic evaluation. Based on the DALY index, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was obtained $200.02 per DALY averted. According to the threshold defined by World Health Organization (WHO), fluoride varnish therapy intervention in this study is cost-effective. The results of this research were not sensitive to the desired parameters based on the results of one-way sensitivity analysis. Conclusion: This study recommends fluoride varnish therapy intervention because of reducing caries, improving quality of life (QOL), and financial saving for families in the long term. The results of this study can also help health policy makers and managers to make decisions about allocating resources to prevent dental diseases.

Developmental defects of enamel and dental anomalies in five-year-old cleft patients

INTRODUCTION Children born with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) have a higher prevalence of developmental defects of enamel and dental anomalies, and are at an increased risk of developing dental caries. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of dental anomalies and developmental defects of enamel in children born with CLP, and to assess compliance with dental prevention. METHODS Data were collected retrospectively for children who attended the five-year-old dental review clinic at the South Thames cleft service over a four-year period. Records of 162 children were analysed. RESULTS Unilateral CLP was the most common type of cleft. Two-thirds (65%) of the children in this service evaluation had developmental defects of enamel affecting the upper incisors. A third (32%) had enamel hypomineralisation. Between 90% and 100% of children over the four-year study period were registered with a dentist. Regular fluoride varnish application was received by 64% to 81% of children and toothpaste with an appropriate concentration of fluoride was used by 72% to 91% of children. CONCLUSIONS Improvements in shared care arrangements between primary dental care clinicians and specialist paediatric dentists are needed to ensure that caries risk is reduced in children born with CLP. This allows the specialist dental services to focus on the complex dental issues that are seen more frequently in CLP and often require a multidisciplinary approach.

Effect of Flouride Varnish in Prevention of Dental Caries

Objective: To assess the effect of 5% sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish application in prevention of caries in mixed dentition rural Jamshoro school children over the course of 6 months. Methods: children with lower stage caries aged 7 to 10 years were included. Students were equally divided in two groups. In Group-A students, 5% fluoride varnish was applied. While in children of control group necessary instructions were given to the student about dietary control. After 3 months, varnish applied teeth on both group’s children were examined again and the rate of caries were documented by using DMFT. After 3 months fluoride varnish was applied to both groups using same method and same directives. Dental caries was examined using the DMFT score after six months of application of fluoride varnish in both groups. All the data was recorded in the proforma. Results: In this study total 108 children were studied, there was no significant difference according to age and brush frequency among both groups p-value 0.146 and 0.088 respectively. Most of the children were using brush among both groups. A starting of the trail mean of DMFT was 1.22+0.24 in group A and 1.39+0.56 in group B. After 3 months it was almost equal among both groups as, while on six months assessment DMFT was raised in control group in contrast to test group p-value 0.012 Conclusion: It was concluded there was significant preventive effect/impact of fluoride varnish on dental caries. DMFT was raised in control group during 6 months rather than test group. Keywords: Children, Dental caries, Fluoride varnish

Effectiveness of Sodium Fluoride Varnish to Control Dental Caries in School Children: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Fluoride varnish application is an effective intervention in controlling dental caries. Objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of six monthly application of sodium fluoride varnish in prevention of dental caries in deciduous teeth, permanent incisors and molars in children between six and seven years in a low resource setting, Sri Lanka. This was an open-label, randomized controlled trial (NCT02877888) in school children aged six to seven years, living in a district of Sri Lanka. Recruited children were randomly assigned to either a treatment (n=161) or to control group (n=162). Children in the treatment group received fluoride varnish professionally applied every 6 months combined with counselling on maintenance of oral hygiene and diet for a period of 2 years. Caries examinations were conducted using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS). The primary outcome studied was the number of new caries in the two study groups. At each time interval, the mean number of new dental caries was significantly lower in the intervention group. When independent effect of the intervention on development of new dental caries was assessed, application of fluoride varnish every 6 months for a period of 2 years was significantly associated with less number of new dental caries compared to controls. Fluoride varnish application in a low resource setting is an effective method of preventing dental caries among children. A national level programme would contribute to the reduction of dental caries in this age group. Keywords: Clinical trial, Fluoride varnish, Dental caries, Caries prevention, Effectiveness

Fluoride Formed on Enamel by Fluoride Varnish or Gel Application: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Although fluoride varnish (FV) and acidulated phosphate fluoride gel (APF-gel) are considered clinically effective to reduce caries, in vitro studies have shown that FV reacts slowly with enamel because most NaF present in the formulation is not solubilized in the FV. Therefore, we conducted a clinical study to evaluate if the time that FV remains on dental surfaces could overcome its slower chemical reactivity when compared with APF-gel. Sixty-eight volunteers were randomly allocated into 4 groups: negative control (Control, no treatment), APF-gel application (1.23% F applied for 4 min), and FV application (Duraphat®, 2.26% F) for 4 h (FV-4h) or 24 h (FV-24 h). To evaluate fluoride formed and retained on enamel, acid biopsies were made on the buccal surfaces of the maxillary central incisors before, at the end of the application of fluoride products (immediately after gel application, or after 4 or 24 h of varnish application), and after 7 and 28 days. Fluoride concentration in dental biofilm was also analyzed before and up to 28 days after initial application. The data were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA, considering treatment and time as factors. The APF-gel and FV-24h groups formed greater fluoride concentration on enamel than the FV-4h and the control group at the end of application (p = 0.0001), with no difference from each other (p = 0.99). The groups did not differ regarding fluoride in biofilm fluid (p = 0.73) and solids (p = 0.40). In conclusion, FV needs to remain in contact with the teeth for prolonged times (>4 h) to reach the same reactivity obtained by a 4-min application of APF-gel.

UK Dental Medicines Advisory Service: questions asked by dentists - part 4: prescribing of high-strength fluoride toothpastes and use of fluoride varnishes in dental practice.

The UK Dental Medicines Advisory Service (UKDMAS) provides advice to dentists and other dental healthcare professionals concerning the use of medicines and medical devices in dental prescribing, administering, or dispensing. The commonly asked questions posed to the UKDMAS concerning the prescribing of high-strength fluoride toothpastes and use of fluoride varnishes in dental practice are discussed with answers, supplemented by relevant information from clinicians. These include: the prescribing of high-strength fluoride toothpastes and application of fluoride varnish in particular patient groups; issues concerning the amounts of fluoride toothpaste that can be prescribed; regulations related to the supply of fluoride toothpastes by dental hygienists and therapists; and the constituents and selection of fluoride varnishes.

Cost-effectiveness and efficacy of fluoride varnish for caries prevention in South African children: A cluster-randomized controlled community trial.

This cluster-randomized controlled community trial aimed to assess the efficacy and costs of fluoride varnish (FV) application for caries prevention in a high-risk population in South Africa. 513 children aged 4-8years from two schools in a township in South Africa were randomly allocated by class to the FV or Control (CO) groups. In addition to supervised toothbrushing with fluoridated toothpaste in both groups, FV was applied in 3-month intervals by trained local non-professional assistants. Intraoral examinations were conducted at baseline, 12, 21 and 24months. Primary outcome was the increment of teeth with cavitated lesions (i.e. newly developed or progressed, formerly non-cavitated lesions), requiring restoration or extraction over the study period. Additionally, treatment and re-treatment costs were analyzed. 513 children (d1-4 mft 5.9±4.3 (mean±SD)) were randomly allocated to FV (n=287) or CO (n=226). 10.2% FV and CO teeth received or required a restoration; 3.9% FV and 4.1% CO teeth were extracted, without significant differences between groups. While FV generated high initial costs, follow-up costs were comparable in both groups, resulting in FV being significantly more expensive than CO (1667±1055 ZAR vs. 950±943 ZAR, p<.001). Regular FV application, in addition to daily supervised toothbrushing, had no significant caries-preventive effect and was not cost-effective in a primary school setting within a peri-urban, high-risk community in South Africa. Alternative interventions on community or public health level should be considered to reduce the caries burden in high-risk communities.

Impact of Sociodemographic Factors on Dental Caries in Children and Availing Fluoride Treatment: A Study Based on National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) Data 2016-2019.

IntroductionDental caries is a global health issue. It is a largely preventable, multifactorial non-communicable disease. Given the gravity of the situation, in 2014 United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended that the primary care physician apply fluoride varnish from the eruption of the first tooth till the child attains five years of age. Using 2016-2019 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) cross-sectional representative data, the aim of this study was to determine if the child’s age, gender, and race are predictors of the child having decayed teeth or cavities in the past 12 months and if they had availed preventative dental services from the dentist in the past 12 months in the US and if so, did they receive fluoride treatment.MethodsThe prevalence of dental caries and dental treatment among children under each category of sociodemographic risk factors were estimated using 2016-2019 NSCH’s cross-sectional representative data on two survey questions. Then, the statistical significance of the association of the categorical risk factors with the prevalence of dental caries and the association of the categorical risk factors with the prevalence of fluoride dental treatment were tested using two-sample proportion tests and chi-square tests. Further, chi-square residual analysis was employed to better understand the nature of the association and to reveal the degree of contribution to the test statistic from each categorical combination of risk factors.ResultsPrevalence and associative risk of tooth decay in children was the highest in the 6-11 years age group across all three years under study. The 6-11 years age group had the highest prevalence and association of receiving fluoride treatment across all three years. In our study, the prevalence of dental caries in children by race varied according to the year. In 2016-2017 and 2018-2019, it was the Hispanic population with the highest prevalence of tooth decay. In 2017-2018 the highest prevalence was seen in the Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) population. Across all three years, the Hispanic population had the highest associative risk of tooth decay. The Non-Hispanic White (NHW) population had the highest prevalence and association with receiving fluoride treatment across all three years. Male children were found to have the higher prevalence and associative risk of decayed teeth across all three survey years.ConclusionDental caries is a worldwide health burden. However, it can be prevented by different precautionary measures. The results of our study revealed that certain sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, and race of the child make certain groups of the child population more at risk for the development of dental caries; most notable findings were that the male children were significantly associated to have decayed teeth and not availing dental fluoride treatment for which limited information is available in the literature. Additionally, the age groups 1-5 and 6-11 were significantly associated with the prevalence of not receiving dental treatment and the prevalence of dental caries, respectively. More active participation of pediatricians in getting trained for the application of fluoride varnish and helping getting their patients established with dental services per recommendations will help streamline preventative dental care.

Managing a Facial Talon: A Rare Morphological Variation on Maxillary Permanent Central Incisor

Talon cusp or Eagle's Talon is a developmental anomalous structure that is thought to arise due to evagination of the coronal surface of a tooth before the commencement of calcification. The facial form of talon cusp is a rare morphological variation occurred on the facial surface of incisors that are often associated with clinical problems such as poor esthetic, soft tissue irritation, and caries susceptibility. We report a case of facial talon cusp on permanent maxillary right central incisor in a 9-year-old girl who visited our department with esthetic concern. The patient was managed with a minimally invasive approach by selective grinding followed by the application of fluoride varnish at a regular interval. Direct resin-based composite restoration performed to achieve esthetic rehabilitation, demonstrated satisfactory clinical and radiographic treatment outcomes.

Orthodontic brackets’ shear bond strengths after applying remineralizing agents

Aim: The aim of this in vitro study was to measure the effects of white spot lesions treatment agents on the shear bond strengths (SBSs) and adhesive residual indexes (ARIs) of orthodontic brackets.&#x0D; Methodology: This study used 100 human premolar teeth randomly divided into five groups. Group 1 comprised those with intact enamel, Group 2 comprised those with demineralized enamel and Groups 3–5 comprised those demineralized enamel that was treated with casein phosphopeptide amorphous calcium phosphate fluoride (CPP-ACPF), fluoride varnish and a resin infiltrant, respectively. Brackets were bonded to the teeth using the conventional method, then the samples were thermocycled and tested for SBS using a universal testing machine. The adhesive remnant indexes (ARI) of the brackets were also evaluated. One-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests were used to compare the groups’ SBSs and the Kruskal–Wallis test was used to evaluate the groups’ ARI scores. Results were considered statistically significant if p was less than 0.05.&#x0D; Results: Statistically significant differences were found between the groups (F was 6.895 and p was less than 0.001). The SBSs of the brackets in Group 4 were significantly lower than those of the other groups (the mean was 13.44 ± 6.37 MPa). Group 5 had the highest mean SBS value (22.11 ± 6.56 MPa). Additionally, the ARI scores of the four groups were significantly different (p was less than 0.001).&#x0D; Conclusion: Resin infiltration and CPP-ACPF applications can improve bonds to demineralized enamel, while fluoride varnish applications are not recommended for such enamel.&#x0D; &#x0D; How to cite this article: Özant Y, Ay Ünüvar Y. Orthodontic brackets’ shear bond strengths after applying remineralizing agents. Int Dent Res 2021;11(2):67-74. https://doi.org/10.5577/intdentres.2021.vol11.no2.3&#x0D; &#x0D; Linguistic Revision: The English in this manuscript has been checked by at least two professional editors, both native speakers of English.

Dental Fluoride Varnish Application During Medical Visits Among Children Who Are Privately Insured

Dental Fluoride Varnish Application During Medical Visits Among Children Who Are Privately Insured

Association between population-based fluoride varnish application services and dental caries experience among schoolchildren in Taiwan

Taiwan government has provided population-based fluoride varnish application services for all preschool children since July 2004. This study investigated the association providing such services on dental caries experiences among schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study was conducted on schoolchildren aged 8-9 years. A questionnaire collected information on sociodemographic background, parents' oral health status, children's oral health-related behavior, and dietary habits. Dental caries was recorded through standardized oral examinations. The number of services was retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Univariate, multivariable linear, and logistic regression analyses were performed. The study involved 1246 children. The mean dental caries indices were 3.97 for decayed, extracted, and filled teeth (deft) and 0.94 for decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT). After adjustments for confounding factors, it was revealed that children receiving services were not associated with significantly lower deft and DMFT indices (P>0.05). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for untreated primary teeth of children receiving 3 or more services was 0.64 (95% CI=0.44-0.95) compared with those who received no services (P=0.025). However, subgroup analyses demonstrated that children in the low-risk group were mainly affected (adjusted OR=0.36-0.89, P=0.013). This study revealed that children receiving 3 or more services were associated with a 36% decreased risk of having untreated caries in primary dentition, but these children were mainly in the low-risk group. These results illustrate real data that provides dentists and policymakers with valuable information.

Effect of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Coupled with Resin-Containing and Xylitol-Containing Fluoride Varnishes on Enamel Erosion.

Purpose Considering the suggested advantages of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) in increasing the fluoride uptake by the enamel, this study aimed to assess enamel erosion following the application of helium CAP and two types of fluoride varnishes. Methods The microhardness of 70 bovine enamel specimens was measured using a Vickers hardness tester. The specimens were randomly divided into 7 groups (n = 10): control, CAP (P), resin-containing fluoride varnish (RF), CAP + resin-containing fluoride varnish (PRF), fluoride varnish (F), CAP + fluoride varnish (PF), and erosion (E). The specimens in the control and erosion groups did not receive CAP or fluoride varnish. All specimens underwent erosive challenge 4 times/day using hydrochloric acid and artificial saliva except for the control specimens that remained in distilled water during the course of the study. After 5 days of erosive challenge, microhardness was measured again, and the percentage of microhardness change was calculated. Surface roughness of two specimens in each group was assessed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tamhane's post-hoc test. Results The percentage of microhardness change in all groups was significantly higher than that of the control group. All groups showed significantly lower percentage of microhardness change compared with the E group except for the P group; no significant difference was noted in microhardness change of P and E groups. Other experimental groups had no significant difference with each other. Surface roughness was the highest in PRF and the lowest in the F group. Conclusion CAP application had no significant effect on increasing the enamel resistance to erosion. However, enamel resistance to erosion increased significantly after fluoride varnish application alone or fluoride varnish application combined with CAP. No significant difference was noted between the two types of varnishes in this regard. CAP increased the surface roughness while fluoride varnish application alone decreased the roughness.

Glass Ionomer Sealant versus Fluoride Varnish Application to Prevent Occlusal Caries in Primary Second Molars among Preschool Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Fissure sealant is a recommended preventive measure on permanent molars, but its efficacy on primary molars in preschool children is still in doubt. Sodium fluoride varnish (NaFV) enhances remineralization and is effective in preventing caries in smooth surfaces, but limited information is available regarding its use on occlusal surfaces of primary molars. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of glass ionomer sealant (GIS) versus topical application of 5% NaFV in preventing and arresting occlusal caries in primary second molars among preschool children. One calibrated examiner examined children aged 3–4 years for visible plaque index (VPI), decayed-missing-filled primary surface (dmfs) index, and extent of carious lesions by the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS). Subjects with 1 or more primary second molars that were sound or with incipient lesions (ICDAS 0–1), with distinct visual enamel changes (ICDAS 2), or with localized enamel breakdown (ICDAS 3) were recruited. The children were randomly assigned to either NaFV group – application of 5% NaFV at 3-monthly intervals or GIS group – 1 single placement of GIS. A parental questionnaire was used to collect information on the children’s sociodemographic background and oral health-related habits. Two blinded examiners conducted clinical examinations after 6 and 12 months to evaluate the development of occlusal caries and the retention of GIS. Negative binomial regression using generalized estimating equations was employed to adjust for the clustering effect and evaluate the influence of selected variables on the development of occlusal caries into dentin at 12 months. A total of 323 children with 1,159 primary second molars received the respective preventive measures at baseline. At 12 months, 280 children with 989 molars were evaluated. Caries had developed or progressed into dentin in 7.8% and 8.0% of the molars in the NaFV and GIS groups, respectively, with no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.913). The overall retention rates of GIS were 24.6% and 13.5% at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Regression analyses showed only baseline caries experience, and an ICDAS code had a significant association with occlusal caries progression. Quarterly NaFV application and single GIS placement showed similar effectiveness in the prevention of occlusal caries development among preschool children.

Analysis of the effectiveness of school programs for the prevention of dental diseases: a literature review

Relevance. The high prevalence of dental diseases worldwide and their cumulative process from an early age entail effective strategies for healthy habits promotion. Schools are recommended to include oral health education programs in the curricula to develop a positive attitude to oral hygiene among students. The aim was to review the effectiveness of implementing programs in the school curricula to reduce the dental disease level among schoolchildren.Materials and methods. The research chose programs aimed at improving the dental health of schoolchildren. We considered educational measures on oral health protection, carried out by dentists, nurses or teachers within school programs and curative and preventive measures for schoolchildren aged 6-18 years. We searched the publications on the given topic published between 1999 and 2021 in the database e-LIBRARY.ru and between 2016 and 2021 in the PubMed database. When selecting articles, the full-text study was compulsory to check the article conformance degree to the inclusion criteria.Results. According to the keyword search, we found 76 publications in the database e-LIBRARY.ru. After the exclusion of duplicates and articles nonconforming to the selection criteria, the review included seven publications. Four studies revealed caries reduction, and two studies demonstrated the improvement of oral hygiene. In the PubMed database, 419 publications were found according to the keyword query. The analysis of the effectiveness of school dental programs included 12 articles. Four studies detected oral hygiene improvement, seven studies – caries reduction, and six studies – dental knowledge and skill improvement.Conclusions. According to Russian and international studies, education without curative and preventive measures isn't effective in dental disease prevention in schoolchildren. Along with instructions and training in practical oral hygiene skills, schoolchildren should use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride varnish application and fissure sealing are the most effective measures in risk groups.

Adopting the COM-B model and TDF framework in oral and dental research: A narrative review.

BackgroundRecent advances in the psychological understanding of health‐related behaviour have focused on producing a comprehensive framework to model such behaviour. The Capability‐Opportunity‐Motivation‐Behaviour (COM‐B) and its associated Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) allow researchers to classify psychological and behavioural constructs in a consistent and transferable manner across studies.AimTo identify oral and dental health‐related studies that have used the TDF and/or COM‐B as frameworks to guide research and examine the ways in which these concepts have been practically used in such research.MethodNarrative review of published literature. To be included, the paper had to (1) state that the TDF or COM‐B had been used and to have targeted at least one construct identified in either framework, (2) include primary empirical data, (3) focus on a behaviour directly related to oral or dental‐related health (eg brushing, applying fluoride varnish, flossing) and/or attitudes, intentions and beliefs related to the behaviour. Studies could include any research design, and participants of any age or gender and include patients, parents or dental health professionals.FindingsNine studies were identified that had drawn on the COM‐B and/or TDF as the framework for their research. Seven of the studies were based on the TDF only, with one employing both the COM‐B and Health Belief Model, and one using the TDF with COM‐B. The nine studies covered a broad range of oral health‐related behaviours including child tooth brushing, fluoride varnish application and non‐ or micro‐invasive management of proximal caries lesions. The populations in the studies included dentists, dental teams and parents of children. All studies adopted only a subset of the constructs within the TDF, often without justification.ConclusionsIt is encouraging that oral health researchers are adopting standardized psychological frameworks to develop their research and oral health interventions. Future work should build on the small number of studies identified in this review and consider using standardized tools to do so.