How effective are each of the following 5 primary care physician interventions for preventing dental caries in children aged from birth to 5 years: screening and risk assessment; referring to a dentist; prescribing dietary supplemental fluoride; applying fluoride varnish, and counselling for caries-preventative barriers?
The authors used system dynamics to compare the relative effect and cost of six categories of early childhood caries intervention, applying fluorides, limiting cariogenic bacterial transmission from mothers to their children, using xylitol, clinical treatment, motivational interviewing and a combination of these.
One systematic review found fluoride to be effective in preventing dental caries among adults while examining the effectiveness of self- and professionally applied fluoride and water fluoridation.
Dental nurses can apply fluoride varnish either on prescription from a dentist or direct as part of a structured dental health programme.
Based on global estimates, about 500 million people utilize fluoride toothpaste, 210 million have access to fluoridated water, 40 million have access to fluoridated salt, and 60 million benefit from fluoride mouth rinses, tablets and clinically applied fluoride [ 5].
The other two included clinical studies used topical fluoride agents to treat dentin caries, one with professionally applied fluoride (NaF and SDF) and another one tested the effectiveness of self-applied fluoride (toothpaste with 1000 ppm fluoride).
Professionally applied fluoride gel in low-caries 10.5-year-olds.
In areas where fluoride levels in the drinking water are low, prescription fluoride supplements are recommended for children older than six months of age; dentists also may apply fluoride rinses or gels periodically to their patients' teeth.
Adjunctive treatments may be used, including in-office fluoride gels, professionally applied fluoride varnish, or home use of prescription (5000 ppm) topical fluoride [ 17- 19].
As stated in " Introduction", several investigations had demonstrated that intra-orally applied fluoride regimes may cause fluoride release into saliva.
