Fluoride, Calcium, and Phosphorus Release from Novel NovaMin®-Containing Fluoride Varnish

OBJECTIVE: Fluoride varnishes are currently used in the oral health care field to treat and prevent sensitivity and are also used for “off-label” caries protection. When applied to tooth surfaces NovaMin® (calcium sodium phosphosilicate) occludes dentinal tubules and releases calcium and phosphorus ions into the oral environment thereby increasing remineralization potential. Fluoride, calcium, and phosphorus ion release from a novel NovaMin®+fluoride varnish and a conventional fluoride varnish were characterized over a 48-hour period.

METHODS: 0.100±0.002grams of 10% NovaMin®+5% sodium fluoride and 5% sodium fluoride varnishes were applied to epoxy substrates and placed in 20mL deionized (DI) water. Samples were placed in an incubator shaker at 37°C and 200rpm. The DI water was replaced and analyzed for ion content after 1, 4, 24, and 48 hours. Solutions were diluted 1:1 with TISAB and analyzed for fluoride ion concentration using a fluoride-selective electrode. Calcium and phosphorus ion concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy. All results are presented as cumulative mean µg [ion]/g varnish±S.E.M. (n=9) and were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and Student-Newman-Keuls methods (p<0.05).

RESULTS: Fluoride ion release from NovaMin®+fluoride varnish at 1, 4, 24, 48 hours: 97.8±1.5, 1,134.9±50.3, 9,835.8±52.3, 10,346.8±27.2; fluoride-only varnish: 71.4±7.4, 130.4±12.5, 301.7±41.1, 513.1±123.1. Calcium ion release from NovaMin®+fluoride: 31.3±4.0, 378.1±85.7, 1,166.7±81.4, 2,521.9±110.5; fluoride-only: 13.3±2.6, 52.1±2.3, 71.9±7.6, 65.4±6.9. Phosphorus ion release from NovaMin®+fluoride: 115.8±1.4, 340.4±8.8, 1,491.5±31.5, 1,618.2±34.2; fluoride-only: 112.5±0.5, 219.5±2.2, 307.6±2.5, 396.1±3.2. The NovaMin®-containing varnish had significantly higher release of all measured ions at all time points (p<0.05) compared to the conventional fluoride varnish.

CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this model, a novel NovaMin®-containing fluoride varnish exhibited significantly higher fluoride, calcium, and phosphorus ion release over a 48-hour period compared to conventional fluoride varnish. Current results indicate that NovaMin®-containing varnishes may have a greater potential to treat sensitivity and remineralize tooth surfaces than conventional fluoride-only varnishes.