Fluoride, which is often added to
toothpaste or mouthwash in order to protect
teeth from decay, may be a novel
therapeutic approach for
acceleration of periodontal
regeneration. Therefore, we investigated the effects of
fluoride on proliferation and mineralization in
human periodontal ligament cells in vitro. The
periodontal ligament cells were stimulated with various concentrations of NaF added into osteogenic inductive medium.
Immunohistochemistry of
cell identification,
cell proliferation,
alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay, Alizarin
red S staining and quantitative real-
time-
polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed. Moderate concentrations of NaF (50-500 μmol/L) had pro-proliferation effects, while 500 μmol/L had the best effects. ALP activity and
calcium content were significantly enhanced by 10 μmol/L NaF with osteogenic inductive medium. Quantitative RT-PCR data varied in
genes as a result of different NaF concentrations and
treatment periods. We conclude that moderate concentrations of NaF can stimulate proliferation and mineralization in
periodontal ligament cells. These
in vitro findings may provide a novel
therapeutic approach for
acceleration of periodontal
regeneration by addition of suitable concentrations of NaF into the medication for
periodontitis treatment, i.e., into periodontal packs and
tissue patches.