A Northern Ireland caries prevention in practice trial (NIC-PIP)1 has completed its first phase in trying to prevent dental disease in young children. A visit from Health Minister Edwin Poots marked the conclusion of the initial stage, supporting its aims to pre-emptively tackle the issue of dental decay in Northern Ireland rather than provide reparative solutions once the damage has been done.

One thousand, two hundred children initially aged between two and three years, who regularly attend primary dental care services, have been randomly selected for the trial. Children receiving the protection package will be given fluoride varnish treatment applied bi-annually for three years, in addition to fluoride toothpaste and a toothbrush (supplied twice a year). The extra coat of fluoride varnish should act as a protective barrier from tooth decay and though tested in clinically controlled environments, is an innovative approach in dental practice.

As quoted in the Northern Ireland Executive, Poots has stressed the importance of the research stating: 'if this trial is able to prove effectiveness and cost effectiveness of topical fluorides in dental practice, it will revolutionise how we care for young dental patients and will dramatically reduce dental caries in our population. It will also shift the focus of the dental service towards preventive care.'2 Researchers are hoping the trial will greatly impact on dental policy and the approach to improving oral health in children, by measuring the number of incidences of toothache, decay and extraction in the control group over a three-year period.

Children in Northern Ireland have the worst oral health in the UK, with 61% of 5-year-olds having experienced dental decay compared to 43% of children in the rest of Britain.3 Whilst the trial will cost around £1.7 million, it is hoped that a successful outcome in caries prevention will result in a more cost-effective use of the dental budget.