[Caries prevention through a nutritional vehicle].

In order to evaluate the efficacy of fluoridated milk as a cariostatic nutritional product, the biological and technical possibilities of adding fluoride (F) as monofluorophosphate (MFP) to milk were studied, together with a preliminary cost estimation for this procedure. F ingestion by preschool children pertaining to the low and medium-low levels of population was estimated through polls and chemical analyses. The values of F ingestion obtained were in the range of 0.15-0.30 mg/day. The bioavailability of F in those dietary elements which have the highest F concentration was determined. Taking a value of 1.00 for F absorption from sodium fluoride (NaF) in water, relative values of 0.58 and 0.32 were obtained for tea ingestion on a fasting stomach, and together with solid food, respectively. The corresponding value for fish was 0.34. Through another bioavailability experiment it was shown that the absorption of F (from MFP) in milk, is as high as that of F (from NaF) in water. By means of a comparative cost estimation study, it was found that, for the Chilean situation, milk fluoridation is, at least, 1,000 times more economic than water fluoridation. It is concluded that milk fluoridation is an economical and viable alternative for some less developed countries.