Caries prevalence six years after the cessation of an RCT

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term progression of dental caries on the first permanent molars of a group of children who had been involved in a 2-year randomised controlled trial of supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste. Methods: 461 children, aged 5 at baseline, in 12 schools in Tayside, Scotland completed a randomised controlled trial. The intervention group brushed once a day at school under supervision and received a home support package designed to encourage twice daily toothbrushing. The non-intervention group had no toothbrushing at school. Trained supervisors dispensed the toothpaste and recorded its use. The intervention lasted 30 months, and dental examinations were conducted every six months during the intervention, and additionally, 6, 18, 30, 54, and 78 months after the completion of the intervention. All examinations were conducted by a single examiner. Results: After 24 months, the intervention group had developed significantly less dental caries on their first permanent molars (Curnow et. al., 2002). At age 14, 6.5 years after the end of the intervention, 301 (65%) of the children who completed the trial were re-examined. The children from the intervention group had a mean D3FS increment of 2.72 (s.d. 3.23), compared to the non-intervention group, with a mean D3FS increment of 3.65 (s.d. 3.83) (p=0.002). Conclusion: The supervised toothbrushing intervention has had a benefit on the dental health of children in the intervention group which is still evident more than six years after the end of the intervention.