Fluoride Retention in Saliva Following Tooth Brushing Using Different Forms of Fluoridated Dentifrices

Abstract

 There are several different forms of fluoridated dentifrices such as paste, gel, foam, and liquid types. Each type has applications that take advantage of various features.

 We evaluated the influence of differences in the form of 950-ppm F, NaF-containing dentifrices using the same volume (0.5g) and application method (toothbrushing with scrubbing method for 2 min, then mouth rinsing with 15 mL of distilled water for 5 seconds after spitting out) comparing paste, gel, and foam types on salivary fluoride levels 4 hours after toothbrushing. Eleven consenting healthy young adults participated in this study. Significant differences were noted in the fluoride ion concentrations in saliva after rinsing. The foam type showed the highest concentrations and maintained around 0.09-ppm F, which can inhibit demineralization and enhance re-mineralization, even 4 hours after rinsing. The area under the curve (AUC) of the ‘fluoride concentration - time’ for 240 minutes （AUC_0－240min）showed significant differences: the foam type including surfactants was the highest, whereas the gel type not including them was the lowest. Thus, the use of the foam type of dentifrice resulted in the retention of more fluoride in saliva.

 We suggest that the foam type includes not only surfactants but also a solubilizer as well as surfactant aids, which can enhance the rapid intraoral dispersion of dentifrices and release fluoride gradually from oral reservoirs such as the mucosa after adsorption or uptake.