Posttreatment benefits from participation in a school-based fluoride mouthrinsing program: results after up to 7 years of rinsing

Effect on approximal caries in teenagers of interrupting a school-based weekly NaF mouthrinse program for 3 years

The aim of the present investigation was to follow the caries incidence in 126 13-yr-old children who experienced a 3-yr interruption of a supervised weekly mouthrinse program with 0.2% NaF solution (interrupted rinsing-, IR-group). 143 children, 13 yr old, who continuously participated in the NaF mouthrinse program, served as a comparison group (continuous rinsing-, CR-group). Dental caries and restorations were diagnosed on bitewing radiographs; thus only approximal tooth surfaces were considered. The caries incidence over the 3-yr period was 1.84 DFS in the IR- and 1.77 in the CR-group. The corresponding FS-values were 0.67 and 0.25, respectively. Two years later, i.e. when the children were 18-yr-old and the IR-group had had 2 yr back on the school-based mouthrinse program, they were examined again. The difference in caries incidence between 16 and 18 yr of age was still small, 1.32 DFS in the IR- and 1.22 in the CR-group. The corresponding FS-values were 0.63 and 0.49, respectively. Thus, this study showed that the 3-yr interruption of the NaF mouthrinse program resulted in a small, statistically non-significant increase in caries, mostly as regards the number of fillings, on approximal tooth surfaces.

Report of Committee on Scientific Investigation of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry

A few personal points seem appropriate in summary. It is axiomatic that while research solves problems, it also creates them. As an example, it is an accepted fact that dentistry more than any other profession has made serious inroads into putting itself out of business through research. Each year this report takes note of the reduction in dental caries in children, which has thus triggered a change in the nature of general practice. Be this as it may, it is well to acknowledge that major dental diseases are not disappearing, but their patterns in the population are changing, accompanied by an expansion of other services. Despite the optimistic picture painted earlier in this report, it is grossly premature to acclaim the elimination of caries, and thereby a significant segment of restorative dentistry. Of course the younger age groups have been the major beneficiaries of caries reduction. As the child ages from 9 to 16 years, the percentage of mouths free of caries drops by one half. In addition, the disease pattern in the adult population is being altered because of a longer life span and loss of fewer teeth. Unquestionably what we will, and are already seeing, is not an elimination of restorative dentistry but a different target and changes in procedures because of new materials, therapy, and expanded scope of services. There is yet another subtle change in the trend of dental research and it deals with the reduction in the number of dental schools worldwide and smaller class sizes in those schools. Dental research thereby suffers because of the traditional link between education and research. Thus the potential pool of researchers becomes smaller and research monies for training programs for dental investigators, particularly in clinical research, decreases. This year a surprising number of articles are concerned with manpower as it relates to research priorities. So, it is indeed a time that both the profession and the scientific community find filled with controversy and frustration. Yet never has there been a time that offers more in challenges and rewards.