Fluoride in plaque following use of dentifrices containing sodium monofluorophosphate.

Previous work showed that plaque fluoride increased with increasing NaF content of mouthwashes following daily use. The main aim of this study was to test whether a similar relationship was detectable after regular use of dentifrices containing amounts of sodium monofluorophosphate equivalent to 1000, 1500, and 2500 micrograms F/g. Plaque was collected from three groups, each consisting of approximately 80 children, who had each used one of the dentrifrices for one year. Plaque fluoride increased significantly with increasing Na2FPO3 content of the dentifrices. For the 1000-micrograms-F/g group, plaque fluoride also increased significantly with increasing frequency of dentifrice use, but did not correlate with amount of dentifrice applied per brushing. The inverse correlation observed between mean plaque fluoride concentrations and mean three-year caries increments suggests that oral fluoride measurements may prove valuable in estimating the likely anti-caries efficacy of fluoride-containing dental products.