We believe the most important measures that should be undertaken are (1) use, when feasible, of water low in fluoride for dilution of infant formulas; (2) adult supervision of toothbrushing by children younger than 5 years of age; and (3) changes in recommendations for administration of fluoride supplements so that such supplements are not given to infants and more stringent criteria are applied for administration to children.
Plaque from the root surfaces of 165 subjects (mean age 65.5 years, 22-26 teeth/subject) was analysed for specific bacteria. Five subject groups were defined: A (DMFS 16.4), B (DMFS 55.9), C1 (DMFS 55.6), C2 (DMFS 57.0) and C3 (DMFS 48.1). Groups C1 and C2 had unrestored root surface lesions; Group A, B and C3 were free of unrestored root caries and differed in their coronal caries experience. Streptococcus mutans was isolated more frequently from the root lesions in Groups C1 and C2 than from intact root surfaces in Group A. Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus mitis 1 and Streptococcus sanguis were isolated more frequently from Group A. The percentage contribution that S. mutans made to plaque from lesions in Groups C1 and C2 was higher than that from plaque in Group A and Actinomyces viscosus serovar 2 contributed more to plaque in Group C1 than in samples from Group A. The percentage counts of Lactobacillus in plaque from lesions in Groups C1 and C2 were higher than those from intact roots in Groups A, B, and C3. Subjects were also grouped on the presence of Lactobacillus and S. mutans in plaque samples. Samples with both organisms (n = 17) showed significantly higher isolation frequencies of specific strains of S. mitis 1 and also A. viscosus serovar 2 compared with samples of plaque containing S. mutans or Lactobacillus. Actinomyces naeslundii serovar 1 was not isolated from samples containing both S. mutans and Lactobacillus. The results confirm an association of S. mutans and Lactobacillus with root surface lesions and suggest a relationship between lesions and A. viscosus serovar 2.
Many infants are fully or partially breast fed during the early months of life; however, the percentage of such infants decreases to about 30 percent by 4 months of age. The majority of US infants are fed formulas for most of the first 10 months of life. Although fluoride (F) intakes by fully breast-fed infants are low, F intakes by partially breast-fed infants and by formula-fed infants are highly variable, depending primarily on the F content of the water used to dilute concentrated liquid or powdered infant formula products. In communities with F content of the drinking water less than 0.3 ppm, F consumption by many infants will be 30 to 40 micrograms.kg-1.d-1. The addition of a F supplement of 0.25 mg/d for a 4 kg infant would increase the F intake by 63 micrograms.kg-1.d-1, resulting in a total intake of about 100 micrograms.kg-1.d-1, an intake in the range believed to be associated with development of fluorosis of the permanent teeth. However, for the US infant population generally, many fewer infants are exposed to high F intakes from formula plus a supplement (recommended only for communities with water providing less than 0.3 ppm F) than from formula alone in communities with F content of 1 ppm in the drinking water. In assessing the possible effects of F intake during infancy on development of fluorosis, it is important to recognize that infant feeding practices have changed greatly during the past 30 years. In the 1960s, most infants over 4 months of age were fed fresh cow's milk and intakes of F were therefore low. By the mid 1970s a trend toward more extended feeding of formula was evident and this trend has continued into the 1990s. Prolonged exposure to high intakes of fluoride during infancy is much more common now than in the past.
Plasma fluoride (F) concentration and urinary output of F were studied in 4 children, 4, 5, 12 and 14 years of age, after oral application of a F-containing varnish (Duraphat®). The F dose was found to be 2.3–3.0 mg for the younger children and 5.0–5.2 mg for the older ones. The highest plasma F concentration varied between 60 and 120 ng F/ml and was seen within 2 h of treatment. The urinary output of F during 12 h after varnish application was about 550 μg F/12 h for the younger children and 1,100 μg for the older ones. The plasma levels found are far below those considered toxic.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.