Comparison between evaluation methods for the anti-caries efficacy of monofluorophosphate-containing dentifrices.

A comparison is described of three methods of preclinical assessment of potential anti-caries efficacy for topical fluoride treatments. Methods are compared using dentifrices containing 1,000, 1,500 and 2,500 ppm F as sodium monofluorophosphate (SMFP). These formulations have been shown elsewhere to give a statistically significant dose response of increasing anti-caries efficacy [Stephen et al., 1988]. An in situ enamel insert model, oral fluoride pharmacokinetics and F uptake to demineralised enamel are all shown to correlate with clinical efficacy for the test dentifrices studied.