Clinical study of the anticaries efficacy of three fluoride dentifrices containing anticalculus ingredients: three-year (final) results.

A 3-year double blind clinical trial was conducted to compare the caries inhibition of an A.D.A.-accepted fluoride dentifrice to the caries inhibitions provided by three fluoride dentifrices containing anticalculus agents. All dentifrices used a compatible silicon dioxide abrasive system. The initial mean age of the subjects was 9.9 yrs and they resided in F-deficient (F less than 0.3 ppm) communities on Long Island, NY. Caries activity in all groups was low with the average annual increment being less than one surface. There were no statistically significant differences in any of the dental parameters tested, DMFS, DMFT, and buccolingual, mesiodistal and occlusal surface increments. It was concluded that the presence of anticalculus agents, specifically soluble pyrophosphates, zinc chloride and zinc oxide, do not interfere with the caries inhibition benefits of fluoride in a compatible dentifrice formulation.