Summary Trial/Paediatric Dentistry
Evidence-Based Dentistry (2007) 8, 7. doi:10.1038/sj.ebd.6400461
APF foam does reduce caries in primary teeth
What is the effect of bi-annual professional application of acidulated phosphate fluoride foam on caries increment in primary teeth?
Address for correspondence: B Peng, Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedical Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Luoyu Road 237, Wuhan City, China 430079. E-mail: phs301@vip.163.com
Dafydd Evans1
1Dental School, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, UK
Jiang H, Bian Z, Tai BJ, Du MQ, Peng B. The effect of a bi-annual professional application of APF foam on dental caries increment in primary teeth: 24-month clinical trial. J Dent Res 2005; 84: 265–268
Abstract
Design
A double-blind, cluster randomised, placebo-controlled trial was conducted.
Intervention
Acidulated phosphate fluoride foam (APF; 1.23%) or placebo (fluoride-free) foam were applied by a dental practitioner twice per year for 2 years. Oral examinations were undertaken at baseline and after 2 years, following World Health Organization criteria for caries diagnosis.
Outcome measure
Caries increment was evaluated after 2 years.
Results
In total, 392 children of age 3–4 years were recruited, of whom 209 were randomised to the test group and 183 to the control. One hundred and sixty-seven test and 151 control children completed the study. There was no mean caries increment (measured as decayed, missing or filled primary teeth; dmfs) in 38.3% of test and 26.5% of control group children. The figure for dmfs was 3.8 in the test and 5.0 in the control group (P 0.03). A significant difference was also observed in caries increment on approximal surfaces between test and control groups (P<0.01).
Conclusions
Bi-annual professional application of APF foam, over 2 years, was effective in reducing caries increment in primary teeth.
