RESULTS OF A PROMISING OPEN TRIAL TO PREVENT BABY BOTTLE TOOTH-DECAY - A FLUORIDE VARNISH STUDY

One hundred thirty-three farm worker children with an average age of 1 7 months participated in a study of a fluoride varnish in WIC programs in the Yakima Valley of Central Washington. After parents were interv iewed, the child was examined and a fluoride varnish applied to the ma xillary incisors. At the six-month recall 62 children and their parent s returned. Results indicated a significant decrease in decalcificatio n from 35 percent to 21 percent and an increase in decay from 3 percen t to 16 percent. The rate of decay was lower then the 30 percent found in this age-group in this population. Of 130 sound teeth at baseline, 13 percent were decayed or decalcified in six months; of 73 decalcifi ed teeth at baseline, 51 percent were found to be sound in six months. Additional experimentation with fluoride varnish is warranted.