Combined Effect of a Bioinspired Self-Assembling Peptide and Fluoride Varnish on Remineralisation of Artificial Early Enamel Caries Lesion: An in vitro Study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the remineralisation effect of combined use of a bioinspired self-assembling peptide (P26) and fluoride varnish on artificial early enamel caries lesions. METHODS: Bovine enamel blocks with artificial early enamel caries lesions were prepared. The blocks were randomly allocated to four experimental groups to receive the following treatments: A = P26 + fluoride varnish, B = P26, C = fluoride varnish, and D. distilled water (negative control). The treated blocks were subjected to pH cycling. Enamel blocks were collected at time points of 7 days (d7) and 21 days (d21). The mineral gain, elemental analysis and crystal characteristics of the caries lesion were assessed by micro-computed tomography, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation of mineral gain of group A to D were 17.4 ± 4.2%, 10.7 ± 2.2%, 10.1 ± 1.2%, and 6.8 ± 0.5% at d7, respectively, and 15.2 ± 2.6%, 8.7 ± 3.1%, 9.7 ± 1.2%, and 7.8 ± 2.3% at d21, respectively. A significant higher mineral gain was observed in group A when compared to other groups at both d7 and d21 (p < 0.05). The calcium-to-phosphate ratio remained consistent across all groups, ranging between 1.2 and 1.4. XRD analysis indicated that crystal composition on the surfaces was apatite for all groups. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the present study provided a first indication of better remineralisation effects of the combined use of the bioinspired self-assembling peptide P26 and fluoride varnish compared to the effects of the respective individual uses of P26 or fluoride varnish.

Development and psychometric analysis: Fluoride varnish parent attitude, belief scale.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a scale to determine parents' attitudes and beliefs regarding fluoride varnish. DESIGN AND METHODS: This study had a cross-sectional design and was conducted between 2019 and 2021. A total of 810 parents were included in the study sample. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), discriminant validity, and convergent validity methods were used to estimate the scale validity. For reliability, the Cronbach alpha coefficient, item-total correlation coefficients, and test-retest method were used. RESULTS: As a result of psychometric analysis, the scale was found to have a three-factor structure. The factor loads of the items were between 0.838 and 0.715. The three-factor construct showed a good fit in confirmatory factor analysis (X2 (41): 110.06, p <.001; RMSEA: 0.065; RMSR, 0.02; GFI, 0.95; and NFI, 0.94). Cronbach's α coefficient on the scale was 0.85. The item-total correlation of the scale was found to be between 0.355 and 0.626. The test-retest intra-class correlation coefficient of the scale was 0.72. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the developed scale is a reliable tool to evaluate the attitudes and beliefs of parents toward fluoride varnish. It is thought that the scale will make a contribution to public health.

Long-term costs of dental care for thailand preschool children by using a system dynamics model.

BACKGROUND: A System Dynamics Model (SDM) is a computer simulation to alleviate the problem by comparing strategies and policies. Addressing the costs by using SDM helps in allocating the resources efficiently in managing the strategies. OBJECTIVE: To describe the costs of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of dental caries for 0-5-year-old children by SDM. METHODS: The SDM was developed to explore the cost of primary and secondary prevention (supervised toothbrushing, STB and fluoride varnish, FV), the treatment cost for caries (tertiary prevention), and the total cost under three scenarios; STB, FV and base case (no intervention). RESULTS: When the children aged 5 years, the treatment cost under the base case was the highest at 57.6 million baht while 53.5 million baht in FV and 51.9 million baht in STB. As a total cost, 64.1 million baht under FV, 60.9 million baht under STB, and 57.6 million baht under base case. Sensitivity analysis reveals that the effective rate of STB must be at least 30%, and FV should be a minimum of 50% to ascertain the total cost reduction relative to the base case scenario. CONCLUSION: Caries treatment costs were lower when STB and FV were implemented than in the base case scenario. The overall cost under FV was the highest, followed by STB, with no total cost savings observed as compared to the base case situation. Despite that, carrying out the STB rather than the FV would save a total of 3.2 million baht. Treatment costs under interventions would be lower than expected, and overall cost reductions might be obtained by comparing the base case if the intervention's effective rates are higher, according to sensitivity analysis.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of fluoride varnish application in preventing Root caries in elderly persons: a Markov simulation study.

BACKGROUND: Root caries are prevalent issues that affect dental health, particularly among elderly individuals with exposed root surfaces. Fluoride therapy has shown effectiveness in preventing root caries, but limited studies have addressed its cost-effectiveness in elderly persons population. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a fluoride treatment program for preventing root caries in elderly persons within the context of Chinese public healthcare. METHODS: A Markov simulation model was adopted for the cost-effectiveness analysis in a hypothetical scenario from a healthcare system perspective. A 60-year-old subject with 23 teeth was simulated for 20 years. A 5% sodium fluoride varnish treatment was compared with no preventive intervention in terms of effectiveness and cost. Tooth years free of root caries were set as the effect. Transition probabilities were estimated from the data of a community-based cohort and published studies, and costs were based on documents published by the government. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated to evaluate cost-effectiveness. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the influence of data uncertainty. RESULTS: Fluoride treatment was more effective (with a difference of 10.20 root caries-free tooth years) but also more costly (with a difference of ¥1636.22). The ICER was ¥160.35 per root caries-free tooth year gained. One-way sensitivity analysis showed that the risk ratio of root caries in the fluoride treatment group influenced the result most. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, fluoride treatment was cost-effective in 70.5% of the simulated cases. CONCLUSIONS: Regular 5% sodium fluoride varnish application was cost-effective for preventing root caries in the elderly persons in most scenarios with the consideration of data uncertainty, but to a limited extent. Improved public dental health awareness may reduce the incremental cost and make the intervention more cost-effective. Overall, the study shed light on the economic viability and impact of such preventive interventions, providing a scientific basis for dental care policies and healthcare resource allocation.

Cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses of fluoride varnish for caries prevention in Guangxi, China.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of fluoride varnish (FV) interventions for preventing caries in the first permanent molars (FPMs) among children in rural areas in Guangxi, China. METHODS: This study constituted a secondary analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial, analysed from a social perspective. A total of 1,335 children aged 6-8 years in remote rural areas of Guangxi were enrolled in this three-year follow-up controlled study. Children in the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG) received oral health education and were provided with a toothbrush and toothpaste once every six months. Additionally, FV was applied in the EG. A decision tree model was developed, and single-factor and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted. RESULTS: After three years of intervention, the prevalence of caries in the EG was 50.85%, with an average decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index score of 1.12, and that in the CG was 59.04%, with a DMFT index score of 1.36. The total cost of caries intervention and postcaries treatment was 42,719.55 USD for the EG and 46,622.13 USD for the CG. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the EG was 25.36 USD per caries prevented, and the cost-benefit ratio (CBR) was 1.74 USD benefits per 1 USD cost. The results of the sensitivity analyses showed that the increase in the average DMFT index score was the largest variable affecting the ICER and CBR. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to oral health education alone, a comprehensive intervention combining FV application with oral health education is more cost-effective and beneficial for preventing caries in the FPMs of children living in economically disadvantaged rural areas. These findings could provide a basis for policy-making and clinical choices to improve children's oral health.

Fluoride Varnish in Dentistry: A Bibliometric Analysis of the 100 Most-Cited Papers.

A highly cited paper is a milestone and might impact research and clinical practice. The present study analyzed the 100 most-cited papers on fluoride varnishes in dentistry. A search was performed on July 20, 2022, on the Web of Science Core Collection. Two independent researchers extracted the following data: number and citation density; year and journal of publication; study design; main topic; authors; institutions; keywords; countries and continents. Scopus and Google Scholar were consulted to compare the number of citations. Bibliometric networks were generated in the VOSviewer. The number of citations ranged from 36 to 351, and thirteen papers were cited more than 100 times. The papers were published between 1977 and 2018, most of which were published after 2008 (48%). The most prevalent journal was Caries Research (17%). Intervention studies were the most common design (41%). The most discussed topics were dental caries prevention (48%) and dental remineralization (31%). Europe was the continent with the highest number of publications (46%), mainly from Sweden (14%), and Umea University had the most substantial number of studies (8%). Petersson L.G. was the author with more papers in the top 100 (6%). The most used keywords were "dental caries" (34%) and "fluoride varnish" (31%). It can be concluded that the top 100 cited papers on fluoride varnish primarily originated from Europe, with the majority consisting of intervention studies focusing on the utilization of fluoride varnish for the prevention of dental caries.

Immediate and Sustained Root Caries Prevention of Fluoride Varnish Combined with Toothpastes.

The aim of this study was to determine the immediate and sustained effect of a fluoride varnish and its combinations with toothpastes in preventing root caries development using a salivary microcosm in vitro model. Human root dentin specimens (n = 150) were randomly divided into 5 experimental protocols (n = 30): (1) Fluoride Varnish (V); (2) V followed by Paste One (V + PO); (3) V followed by Paste Plus (V + PP); (4) V followed by PO and PP (V + PO + PP); and (5) No treatment (control). One varnish layer was applied on the specimens (except for the control group) and kept for 18 h. Then, the varnish was removed and toothpaste treatments were initiated according to experimental groups. For the short-term incubation model (n = 15), the specimens were also immediately subjected to 7-day cariogenic challenge. For that, human saliva was used as bacterial inoculum and McBain artificial saliva containing 2% sucrose as growth medium. The other half of the specimens (n = 15) were used to study the varnish's sustained effect by long-term incubation (8 weeks) before cariogenic challenge. The protocols' anti-caries properties were evaluated by dentin porosity (rhodamine intensity; RI) and mineral density, while their anti-biofilm effects were evaluated using biofilm's biomass and viability assays. For short- and long-term incubation models, all experimental regimens resulted in statistically significant decreases (p < 0.05) in the RI (up to 180 µm and 120 µm, respectively) as well as higher mineral density compared to No treatment (p < 0.001). V + PO + PP and/or V + PO resulted in statistically lower RI compared to V for some depths (p < 0.05) in both models. There were changes in RI and mineral density within groups over time. All experimental treatments exhibited anti-biofilm effects. All prevention protocols exhibited immediate and sustained anti-caries effect against root caries development. The combination of a fluoride varnish with PO resulted in superior additional anti-caries effects.

Long-term Effectiveness of Integrated Caries Preventive Programs in Thailand Among Preschool Children Using a System Dynamics Model.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of three caries preventive interventions provided by Thailand's Ministry of Public Health (MOPH): supervised toothbrushing (STB), fluoride varnish (FV), and combined STB+FV from 0 to 5 years old to the base case using the System Dynamics Model (SDM). METHODS: The SDM was developed to compare the intervention scenarios: STB, FV, and combined STB+FV with the base case scenario. Meta-analyses determined the effective rates of the interventions included in the model. RESULTS: The model indicated that the population with no caries in deciduous teeth increased by 7.5%, 5.7%, and 4.2% at three years of age, and 12.8%, 9.9%, and 5.9% at five years of age, under STB+FV, STB, and FV respectively when compared to the base case. At three years old, the population with untreated caries in deciduous teeth decreased by 12.9% in STB+FV, 9.8% in STB, and 7.3% in FV, and by 10.9% in STB+FV, 8.5% in STB, and 4.9% in FV, at five years old. The increase in the population without caries is considered clinically significant compared to baseline. CONCLUSION: The model determined that an effective combination of STB and FV should be administered between 0 and 5 years of age to reduce caries in the primary dentition. The SDM could be applied as a "what-if" analysis in order to determine the most beneficial intervention or policy by comparing them.

Comparative evaluation of four treatments for postorthodontic white spot lesions: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the treatment efficacy of fluoride toothpaste alone and those of adjunctive use of resin infiltration, sodium fluoride varnish, and casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) on white spot lesions (WSLs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-nine patients (356 teeth) with WSLs after orthodontic treatment were randomly allocated into four groups. The WSLs of the participants received resin infiltration only at baseline, and the other groups received fluoride varnish, CPP-ACP mousse, and placebo treatment every 6 months, respectively. A toothpaste containing 1400 ppm fluoride and toothbrushes were distributed to all participants, and oral hygiene instructions were provided. Photos of the teeth with WSL were taken to compare the change between groups which was measured by ImageJ software. RESULTS: Twelve months later, different degrees of reduction in the area of WSLs were observed in all groups. The percentage of lesion area reduction in WSLs in the resin infiltration group was 46.6%, which was significantly higher than that in fluoride varnish group (26.6%), CPP-ACP group (28.6%), and control group (29.8%), and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that after 1-year follow-up, the use of fluoride toothpaste, with or without the use of fluoride varnish or CPP-ACP, can reduce the area of WSLs. While resin infiltration can immediately improve dental aesthetics and continuously improved in 12 months, resin infiltration group showed much better results than other groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials Registration Number: ChiCTR2000032516. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The use of fluoride toothpaste, with or without adjunctive use of fluoride varnish and CPP-ACP, can reduce the area of WSLs, while resin infiltration treatment has additional effect and can immediately improve dental aesthetics.

Extended caries prevention programme with biannual application of fluoride varnish for toddlers: prevalence of dental fluorosis at ages 7-9 years and associated factors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with dental fluorosis in children living in areas of high caries risk in Stockholm and who had participated in a prospective, parallel, cluster-randomized, controlled caries prevention trial between ages 1 and 3 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group comprised a random sample of the children who had completed the 2-year prevention trial (n = 2536) in 2011-2014. All children were instructed to use fluoride toothpaste; the test group received fluoride varnish applications twice a year. Dental fluorosis prevalences in the reference (n = 220) and the test (n = 234) groups were compared. Presence of fluorosis was determined using the Thylsturp & Fejerskov (TF) index on photos of the permanent maxillary incisors. RESULTS: No significant difference in dental fluorosis was observed between the two groups. Nearly one-third (29.7%) of the children in the study cohort exhibited dental fluorosis (TF index ≥ 1). Associations with use of fluoride toothpaste at age 1 year and with socioeconomic status factors were found. CONCLUSIONS: Biannual applications of fluoride varnish in toddlers was not associated with dental fluorosis, which when found was rarely of aesthetic concern. Parental education in tooth-brushing routines is recommended.

Effect of fluoride varnish in combination with simulated oral environment on enamel-bracket shear bond strength.

To determine the effect of fluoride varnish application combined with a simulated oral environment prior to bracket bonding on the shear bond strength (SBS) between brackets and tooth enamel. Sixty de-identified, extracted teeth were grouped to either receive or not receive fluoride varnish and then stored for 7 days at 37 °C in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution or PBS combined with three 15-min cycles/day in a demineralizing solution to simulate pH variation following meals. Subsequently, brackets were bonded and after 24-h dark cure at 37 °C, debonded using shear forces in a simulated oral environment. The maximum shear force was used to calculate SBS, and the adhesive remnant index (ARI) was determined by image analysis of photos of the bracket mesh pad after debonding. A statistically higher SBS (10.16 MPa) was observed when fluoride varnish was applied prior to storage in PBS + demineralizing solution compared to SBS (6.38 MPa) following storage in the same solution without varnish application. Based on 37% effect size, this difference is also clinically relevant. In contrast, no significant differences in SBS were observed with varnish application combined with PBS with no demineralizing solution or between storage solution alone. Moreover, there was no significant difference in ARI due to varnish combined with either storage method or storage solution only. Results suggest varnish application prior to bracket bonding in combination with simulated oral environment that included acid exposure is beneficial in maintaining higher SBS between bracket and enamel. Despite higher SBS, adhesive remaining on enamel did not increase.

Effectiveness of applying proximal enamel caries with fluoride-releasing sealant and fluoride varnish on caries progression in permanent teeth: A 12-month split-mouth randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Few studies report on managing initial proximal caries with sealants, and no reports focus on fluoride-releasing sealants. AIM: To compare the effectiveness between applications of a fluoride-releasing sealant and fluoride varnish on proximal enamel caries to control caries progression in permanent teeth. DESIGN: This was a split-mouth randomized controlled trial in forty-four 11- to 16-year-old children with radiographic caries in at least one contralateral pair of teeth with proximal enamel caries. The lesions were evaluated using DIAGNOdent and were also assessed visually after tooth separation. The lesions in each subject were randomly sealed with a fluoride-releasing sealant (Helioseal® F) or applied with fluoride varnish (Duraphat®). The fluoride varnish-treated lesion was reapplied at 3 and 6 months. Clinical examination, bitewing radiograph evaluation, and DIAGNOdent assessment were performed at 6 and 12 months. The caries progression outcome variables were regression, no change, and progression. The data were analyzed with the McNemar-Bowker test. RESULTS: Radiographic examination and DIAGNOdent assessment demonstrated no significant differences in the percentages of regression, no change, or progression at the 12-month follow-up (p > .05). CONCLUSION: Applications of a fluoride-releasing sealant and of fluoride varnish three times resulted in a nonsignificant difference in caries progression of initial proximal caries at the 12-month follow-up.

Comparative evaluation of prevention of demineralization of artificial enamel caries treated with two fluoride varnishes and 38% SDF in primary teeth: an in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the effect of Clinpro™ White varnish containing 5% sodium fluoride (NaF) and functionalized tricalcium phosphate, MI varnish containing 5% NaF and casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP), and 38% Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in preventing demineralization of treated white spot lesions (WSLs) in enamel of primary teeth. METHODS: Forty-eight primary molars with artificial WSLs were allocated into four groups as follows: Group 1: Clinpro white varnish, Group 2: MI varnish, Group 3: SDF, and Group 4: control (no treatment). The three surface treatments were applied for 24 h and then enamel specimens were subjected to pH cycling. Thereafter, the mineral content of specimens was evaluated by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer and the lesion depth was assessed via Polarized Light Microscope. One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test were used at p ≤ 0.05 to identify significant differences. RESULTS: Insignificant difference in mineral content was observed among treatment groups. Treatment groups exhibited significantly higher mineral content compared to control except for Fluoride (F). MI varnish showed the highest mean calcium (Ca) ion content (66.57 ± 0.63), and Ca/P (2.19 ± 0.11), followed by Clinpro white varnish, and SDF. MI varnish also displayed the highest phosphate (P) ion content (31.46 ± 0.56), followed by SDF (30.93 ± 1.02), and Clinpro white varnish (30.53 ± 2.19). Fluoride content was highest in SDF (0.93 ± 1.18), followed by MI (0.89 ± 0.34) and Clinpro (0.66 ± 0.68) varnishes. Significant difference in lesion depth was observed among all groups (p < 0.001). The lowest mean lesion depth (µm) was found in MI varnish (226.23 ± 44.25) which was significantly lower than Clinpro white varnish (285.43 ± 44.70), SDF (293.32 ± 46.82), and control (576.69 ± 42.66). Insignificant difference in lesion depth was found between SDF and Clinpro varnish. CONCLUSIONS: In primary teeth, WSLs treated with MI varnish displayed better resistance to demineralization compared to WSLs treated with Clinpro white varnish and SDF.

Comparison of therapies of white spot lesions: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: White spot lesions (WSLs), the earliest evidence of enamel demineralization, are considered amenable to intervention to achieve a remineralized or arrested state of caries. The management of WSLs is quite challenging, and there is no definitive cure as yet. We performed a network meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of seven therapies for WSLs and gave a hierarchy of them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases (last search: July 2022) to identify all relevant studies. We limited our search to studies published in English. Randomized controlled designed in vitro/clinical trials related to the efficacy of the seven therapies for WSLs were included. Data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers. The risk of bias (ROB) 2.0 tool from Cochrane and a previous in vitro methodological tool will be used for the quality assessment. Variations in quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF), laser fluorescence (LF), and lesions area were the primary outcome measures. Standard mean difference (SMD) was used as the effect size for the Network meta-analysis (NMA). Consistency and inconsistency tests were conducted. The hierarchy of 7 treatment effects was evaluated using surface probabilities under cumulative ranking (SUCRA). Publication bias was evaluated using a bias plot. RESULTS: Forty-two articles were included in the systematic review. Thirty-one of them, with a total of 1906 participants, were included in the network meta-analysis. The studies owned a low and moderate risk of bias. This analysis does not suffer from significant inconsistency. The difference between 4 groups 'self-assembled peptide (SAP) P11-4', 'P11-4 + Fluoride Varnish (FV)', 'Resin Infiltration (RI)', 'casein phosphor peptides-amorphous calcium fluoride phosphate (CPP-ACFP)' and the 'Control' group was found to be statistically significant. Compared to the 'FV' and 'casein phosphor peptides-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP)' groups, the 'P11-4 + FV" group and 'RI" group made a significant difference. The hierarchy was evident in the SUCRA values of 7 therapies. P11-4 + FV and RI were considered effective therapies compared to the control group or the FV group (gold standard group). CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence suggests that resin infiltration and P11-4 in combination with fluoride varnish had advantages over gold standard (FV). The effect of tricalcium phosphate-based drugs and fluoride is not very noticeable. Overall, drugs based on P11-4 and resin infiltration will be better therapies. Using more than two drugs in combination also would increase efficacy.

The effectiveness of topical fluoride agents on preventing development of approximal caries in primary teeth: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: This 18-month randomized clinical trial aimed to compare the effectiveness of two topical fluoride applications versus placebo control on preventing development of approximal caries in primary teeth. METHODS: Preschool children were recruited if they had at least one initial approximal carious lesion at the distal surface of the canines, both approximal surfaces of the first molars, or the mesial surface of the second molars assessed from bitewing radiographs. The participants were randomly allocated into 3 intervention groups: Group 1 (placebo control), Group 2 (5% sodium fluoride [NaF] varnish), and Group 3 (38% silver diamine fluoride [SDF]). All agents were applied semiannually. Two calibrated examiners evaluated the caries development from bitewing radiographs. Caries development was recorded when the baseline sound surface or initial approximal carious lesion surface developed dentin caries (beyond the outer one-third of dentine) at the follow-up examination. The intention-to-treat approach was adopted. The Chi-square test was used to analyze the effectiveness of topical fluoride agents in preventing approximal caries development and the effect of other variables. The multi-level logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relative effectiveness of topical fluoride agents in preventing approximal caries development at the 18-month follow-up. RESULTS: At baseline, 190 participants with 2,685 sound or initial carries at the approximal surfaces were recruited. No differences in participant demographic backgrounds, oral health related habits, or caries experience were observed among the 3 groups (P > 0.05). After 18 months, 155 (82%) participants remained in the study. The rates of developing approximal caries in Groups 1, 2, and 3 were 24.1%, 17.1%, and 27.2%, respectively (P < 0.001, χ2 test). After adjusting for confounding factors and clustering effect, the multilevel logistic regression analysis showed no differences in caries development rates between the 3 groups (P > 0.05). Tooth type and the extent of a carious lesion at baseline were the significant factors for caries development. CONCLUSION: At 18-month follow-up, after adjusting for confounding factors and clustering effect, there were no statistically significant differences in preventing of approximal caries development between the semiannual application of 5%NaF, 38%SDF, or placebo. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered in the Thai Clinical Trials Registry under the number TCTR20190315003 on 15/03/2019.

Silver diamine fluoride with sodium fluoride varnish versus silver diamine fluoride in arresting early childhood caries: a 6-months follow up of a randomized field trial.

BACKGROUND: Early childhood caries (ECC) is the most prevalent chronic health problem in young children, and it can be arrested using professionally applied fluoride such as Sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish and Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF). This trial compared two interventions to arrest ECC lesions: 38% SDF combined with 5% NaF varnish versus 38% SDF and assessed whether the arrest rate was affected by baseline lesion severity measured by ICDAS. METHODS: Children aged ≤ 4 years from 4 nurseries in a rural area in Alexandria, Egypt joined the study in March 2022. They were included if they had at least one active carious lesion with ICDAS codes ≥ 3. They were randomized to receive either 38% SDF with 5% NaF varnish or 38% SDF alone. In both groups, the agents were applied at baseline and after 6 months on the caries lesions. NaF was additionally applied on all teeth in the oral cavity, and it was also applied after three months. The primary outcome was lesion arrest status after six months. Parents' satisfaction with their children's appearance was the secondary outcome. Pearson Chi-Square test was used for bivariate comparison and multi-level multiple logistic regression was used to assess the effect of the intervention on caries arrest controlling for confounders. The interaction between the intervention and baseline lesion severity (categorized into moderate and severe lesions) was assessed and the p value was calculated. RESULTS: The study included 1606 lesions in 220 children, median (IQR) age = 48(9) months. The percentages of arrested lesions after the application of SDF + NaF and SDF only were 77.7% and 73.2% (p = 0.035). In multivariable analysis, SDF + NaF had significantly greater caries arrest effect than SDF alone (AOR = 2.12, p = 0.03) with significant difference (p = 0.03) between moderate (AOR = 4.10, p = 0.005) and advanced (AOR = 1.92, p = 0.08) lesions. Most parents were satisfied with their children's appearance with no significant difference between groups (SDF + NaF = 84.5%, SDF = 78.18%, p = 0.23). CONCLUSION: SDF + NaF had a higher arrest rate than SDF alone and this difference was significant in moderate but not advanced lesions. The findings have implications for the non-invasive management of ECC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered in the clinicaltrials.gov registry (#NCT05642494).

Remineralization Potential of a Novel Biomimetic Material (Self-assembling Peptide P11-4) on Early Enamel Caries: An In Vitro Study.

AIM: To assess the remineralizing potential of self-assembling peptide P11-4 and compare it to the remineralizing potential of fluoride varnish using DIAGNOdentTM, as well as the amount of mineral gain after application of fluoride varnish and self-assembling peptide P11-4. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 20 premolars extracted during orthodontic therapy with all surfaces intact and free of hypoplastic regions, white spot lesions (WSL) and dental caries. The teeth sample for Curodont RepairTM (self-assembling P11-4) and Bifluorid 10® (fluoride varnish) was equally divided. On each tooth surface, a 2 × 2 mm window was created. The samples were immersed in a demineralizing solution for 96 hours before being subjected to DIAGNOdentTM pen reading, ICDAS-II scoring, and scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analysis on one half of the sample. The remineralizing agents were applied to the second half of the sample according to the manufacturer's instructions and placed in artificial saliva for 21 days, with the artificial salvia being replaced every 24 hours. After 21 days, the second half of the sample was subjected to DIAGNOdentTM pen reading, ICDAS-II score, and SEM-EDX analysis. RESULTS: Following remineralization, the DIAGNOdentTM pen and ICDAS-II score values differed statistically between the two groups, with the Bifluorid 10® group reporting higher mean values (p > 0.05) using t-test analysis. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis using the t-test revealed a statistically significant result for remineralization (p < 0.05), with CurodontTM Repair group (55.150.84) reporting better mean values than Bifluorid 10® for phosphorus and calcium, but Bifluorid 10® reporting a higher result in remineralization (p < 0.05) than CurodontTM Repair for fluoride. CONCLUSION: CurodontTM Repair showed better remineralizing potential compared with Bifluorid 10® varnish. In terms of the mineral gain, CurodontTM Repair showed better results for calcium and phosphorus post-remineralization. Whereas Bifluorid 10® showed a higher gain in terms of fluoride. Self-assembling peptide P11-4 can be used as an alternative to fluoride varnish for remineralizing WSL. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Self-assembling polypeptide P11-4 is a novel remineralizing agent for initial enamel lesions, which is the least-invasive method of enamel remineralization.

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

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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). CONCLUSION: 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.

Arrest of root caries with an adjuvant chlorhexidine-fluoride varnish over a 12-months observation period: a QLF-analyzed, placebo-controlled, randomized, clinical trial (RCT).

This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of an adjuvant chlorhexidine-fluoride varnish (Cervitec F) for prevention and arrest of root caries on elderly participants using quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF). 23 participants with two or three non-cavitated root carious lesions were included and assigned to three groups of different varnishes (CF: Cervitec F, P: placebo, DP: Duraphate). Agents were applied once to root surface at baseline and in follow-up after 3, 6 and 9 months. The lesions were assessed clinically and with QLF. QLF-images were analyzed regarding fluorescence loss (ΔF), lesion volume (ΔQ) and bacterial activity (ΔR) before (t0), after 14 days (t1), 6- (t2) and 12-months (t3). CF showed a significant difference between t0 and t3: ∆F (- 12.51 [15.41] vs. - 7.80 [16.72], p = 0.012), ∆Q (- 2339.97 (20,898.30) vs. - 751.82 (5725.35), p < 0.001), ∆R (23.80 [41.70] vs. 7.07 [37.50], p = 0.006). Independently of the varnish application, preventive care seems positively influence the root caries progress. Although within CF group the strongest effect was observed, no superiority of a specific varnish application was confirmed over a 12-months QLF observation period. Extra topical fluoride can help remineralise dentin lesions and QLF can be used as a measurement method to determine changes in the dentin lesions.

Clinical effectiveness of resin-modified glass ionomer-based fluoride varnish for preventing occlusal caries lesions in partially erupted permanent molars: A randomised active-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Deep pits and fissures in partially erupted permanent molars are vulnerable to dental caries. AIM: To assess the clinical effectiveness of resin-modified glass ionomer-based fluoride varnish (RMGI-F varnish: Clinpro XT™ varnish) in preventing occlusal caries lesions in partially erupted permanent first molars. DESIGN: In this randomised active-controlled superiority trial with a single-blind parallel design, 74 children with 182 partially erupted first permanent molars were allocated into two groups: Group 1: RMGI-F varnish; and Group 2: GI sealant (active control), with an application of 0.1% sodium fluoride varnish for all other teeth. The primary outcome was ICDAS score ≥1 at 12 months of follow-up. Data were analysed using adjusted Chi-square test and GEE regression for binary outcomes. RESULTS: Group 1 (15.7%) and Group 2 (13.8%) did not differ significantly in ICDAS ≥1 scores at 12 months of follow-up (adjusted χ2  = 0.373, p = .541). There was no significant difference in retention between Group 1 (48.3%) and Group 2 (20.7%) at 12 months of follow-up (adjusted χ2  = 0.1, p = .752). Mean application time per tooth (16 ± 5.9 vs 20.2 ± 5.4 min) was significantly different (t = 5.26, p = .014). CONCLUSIONS: RMGI-F varnish was not superior to GI sealant in preventing occlusal caries lesions in partially erupted molars.