FLUORIDE PROFILE IN MATURE UNERUPTED ENAMEL FOLLOWING REMOVAL OF SURFACE ORGANIC MATERIAL

The aim of the present study was to determine fluoride profiles in mat ure unerupted enamel following removal of the surface organic material . Thirty teeth were randomly allocated into three groups. The surface organic material (Nasmyth's membrane) was left intact in group I; it w as removed by toothbrushing in group II, and in group III the surface organic layer was removed along with subsurface organic material by de proteinizing. Each tooth was then sectioned into halves and a standard ized biopsy area was created. Initially alkali-soluble fluoride was ex tracted with 1M KOH followed by acid etch analysis to measure the rema ining fluoride. No difference was seen in the alkali-soluble fluoride levels but residual fluoride concentrations were significantly reduced (p<0.05) after deproteinizing but not after toothbrushing. It would a ppear that a substantial amount of fluoride (similar to 25%) in mature enamel from unerupted teeth can be removed by a deproteinizing agent, which may suggest an association of this fluoride with subsurface org anic material.