TREATMENT AND POSTTREATMENT EFFECTS OF FLUORIDE MOUTHRINSING AFTER 17YEARS

Objectives: This study assessed the treatment and posttreatment effect s of a school-based, fluoride mouthrinse regimen. Methods: Children in a nonfluoridated community in Japan participated in a daily rinse pro gram using a 0.05 percent NaF solution in nursery and primary schools, and a weekly rinse with 0.2 percent NaF in junior high school. Studen ts were examined at least annually for dental caries and dental treatm ent was provided in a public dental clinic through the ninth grade. In cipient carious lesions with no cavitation were not restored. Results: The percent of children in grades one through nine (6-14 years of age ) with caries-free permanent teeth increased from 13.4 percent in 1974 to 73.0 percentin 1991, while the mean DMFT decreased by 86 percent d uring this period. For 12-year-olds, mean DMFT scores declined to abou t one tooth per child after 1982. For adults 20 years of age, there wa s a 64 percent difference in DMFS between the treatment group who star ted the rinse regimen at 4 years of age and continued for 11 years, an d the controls who lived in different districts and did not participat e in a fluoride rinse regimen. Conclusions: Children who began rinsing at 4 or 5 years of age benefited the most from the program. The progr am was inexpensive, simple to implement and well accepted by families and teachers. The conservative treatment policy in the public clinic l ikely contributed to the benefits derived by participants.