Abstract

RODRIGUEZ, Ana María; MALDONADO, Alfonso  and  ACEVEDO, Ana María. Estudio in vitro del efecto de dentífricos fluorurados comercialmente disponibles en Venezuela en el proceso de remineralización de lesiones iniciales de caries dental.. Acta odontol. venez [online]. 2006, vol.44, n.3, pp.316-323. ISSN 0001-6365.

The microhardness technique was used to determine the effect of fluoride dentifrices on artificial carious lesions in a pH cycling model in vitro. Knoop hardness measurements were performed on sound and on in vitro demineralized enamel, and after in vitro exposure of the enamel to different dentifrice treatments. Results showed that exposure to fluoride dentifrices produced a net rehardening of the demineralized enamel which exhibited measurable variability as well as a measurable statistical trend. Both the NaF dentifrice containing 1,100 ppm F- and the combination NaF/MFP dentifrice containing 1,450 ppm F-  were associated with statistically significant increases in Knoop microhardness (p<0.001) when compared with a control dentifrice. There was not statistically significant difference in effectiveness when these two fluoride dentifrices were compared. There was a statistically significant difference (p<0.001) observed between the two NaF/MFP dentifrices containing 1,100 and 1.450 total F- respectively. Clinical significance: This in vitro study suggests that a dentifrice containing 1,100 ppm total F-  (as NaF alone) has the potential to provide a similar anticaries effect to that of a dentifrice containing 1,450 ppm total F- (as a combination of NaF and MFP). The combination NaF/MFP dentifrice produced significantly greater remineralization (p<0.001) at a concentration of 1,450 ppm F- versus the same formulation ratio containing 1,100 ppm F-, and thus suggests a greater anticaries potential with this combination, as supported by previous studies. The NaF as well as both NaF/MFP experimental groups showed statistically significant enhancement (p<0.001) of enamel remineralization versus a control dentifrice which contained no fluoride, thus demonstrating as strong anticaries potential for both formulations. The degradation/utilization mechanisms of NaF and MFP differ due to varying influence by a number of in vivo parameters which may offer interpretive guidelines for the results of the present study.

Keywords : Remineralization; dental enamel; caries; artificial lesions.