Anticaries potential of low fluoride dentifrice on deciduous enamel demineralization

Objectives: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the anticaries potential of commercial dentifrice containing low concentration of fluoride on deciduous teeth demineralization in relation to the conventional dentifrice. Methods: Sixty enamel samples from deciduous first molar teeth were obtained and divided into three groups (n=20): Group 1 - Placebo dentifrice (nonfluoride dentifrice, negative control), Group 2 - Commercial dentifrice (500 ppm F) and Group 3 - Positive control reference standard (1100 ppm F). Surface microhardness it was made in all the dental samples before the treatments. The pH-cycling model was established during five days; the dental samples were immersed in 25 ml of demineralizing solution for 4 hours, and soon after they were immersed in 12.5 ml of remineralizing solution for 20 hours to 37oC. The dental samples were treated twice per day with dentifrice slurries in agreement with each group for one minute. To the end of pH-cycling model the microhardness was measured again and the results were expressed in percentage of loss of hardness. Results: The results showed that Group II (81.47±13.25) and Group III (79.09±18.64) had smallest percentage of loss of hardness (p<0.05) when compared to Group I (96.21±22.14). Conclusion: The data suggest that commercial dentifrice containing low concentration of fluoride can be similar to conventional dentifrice on inhibition of demineralization in deciduous teeth.