Anti-caries and Anti-microbial Effects of School-based Fluoride Programs in Myanmar Schoolchildren.

PURPOSE

To investigate the anti-caries effects of the school-based fluoride varnish (FV) application at 3-month intervals and ?weekly fluoride mouthrins?ing? (FMR) ?on primary teeth and to evaluate the anti-microbial effects of FV or FMR on cariogenic bacteria among Myanmar children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A 6-month interventional study was conducted on 234 schoolchildren who were divided into three groups: group A received FV application at 3-month intervals, group B received weekly FMR,? and group C received no fluoride application. A clinical oral examination and caries risk tests were performed at baseline and the 6-month follow-up.

RESULTS

Caries prevalence and ?the debris score did not change statistically significantly from baseline to the 6-month follow-up in all groups, whereas the dmfs score statistically significantly increased in group C (p = 0.001). The plaque and saliva scores of Dentocult SM statistically significantly decreased in group A (p = 0.049 and p = 0.006), but those scores statistically significantly increased in group C (p = 0.001 and p = 0.014) after six months. On the other hand, no statistically significant changes were observed in group B. Although the Cariostat scores decreased from baseline to the 6-month follow-up in group A and group B, but increased in group C, no statistically significant differences were observed in any of the groups.

CONCLUSION

Better anti-microbial effects were obtained for children who received FV application than for those who received FMR, but no statistically significant difference existed between the anti-caries effects of these two approaches.