Systemic Fluorides Drops and Tablets

Abstract

Fluoride drops and tablets are effective caries-inhibiting agents which exercise their benefit through mainly topical means. Results of caries trials in which drops or tablets were used in the home vary from excellent to poor, depending on the compliance rates of both parents and offspring. Delivery in schools has also produced reductions of > 80%, and as poor as 20%, again possibly dependent on teacher vigilance. The pre-natal controversy re fluoride tablet benefits has only recently been tested under a true double-blind protocol and resulted in a non-significant effect, although the trend was in favour of those whose mothers had taken F tablets during pregnancy. Hence, while at the individual level, the slow intra-oral dissolution of fluoride tablets can be of great benefit for coronal caries in children, adolescents and possibly medically compromised adults (with or without root caries), their contribution on a community basis cannot readily be compared with that of water or salt fluoridation. Although fluoride tablets have been held responsible for an increase in fluorosis prevalence, data which were assessed blind now exist to show that a daily dosage of 0.25 mg fluoride from birth is not asssociated with dental fluorosis, if additional fluoride products are not used injudiciously over the same period.

Fluoride supplementation (with tablets, drops, lozenges or chewing gum) in pregnant women for preventing dental caries in the primary teeth of their children

“…Fluoride drops, lozenges or chewing gums are sucked or chewed to provide topical fluoride and ingested to provide systemic fluoride. Fluoride supplements taken during pregnancy have the e ect of prenatal fluoride and possibly reduce dental caries in o spring (Stephen 1993). However, risks associated with exposure to fluoride during pregnancy including miscarriage, premature delivery and premature birth were also reported (Diouf 2012;Sastry 2011).…”

Fluoride prospects for the new millennium-community and individual patient aspects

“…This has been especially so given the almost universal parallel usage of fluoride-containing dentifrices (22). However, evidence-based data do not exist that any fluoride supplement level of only 0.5 mg F per day from 2 years of age and upwards has ever inhibited caries in the deciduous dentition (23,24).…”

Strategies for Application of Scientific Findings in Prevention

“…The markedly reduced dental caries prevalence in children seen in the late 1950's and 1960's has been due primarily to the widespread adoption of water fluoridation (Chan and Wei, 1992;Murray, 1993). Further reductions have been achieved by the additional effects of fluorides when incorporated into mouthrinses, dentifrices, topical applications, prophylaxis pastes, and dental materials (Wei, 1990;Konig, 1993;Stephen, 1993;Kunzel, 1993;Petersson, 1993;Wei and Yiu, 1993a,b). Increased dental awareness and regular professional and home oral care, such as the integrated program in Sweden, have added further to the tremendous decline in dental caries in many parts of the world (USPHS, 1989;Brunelle and Carlos, 1990;Axelsson et al, 1993;Wei et al, 1993).…”