Caries clinical trial of fluoride rinses in a Danish Public Child Dental Service.

365 2nd through 4th graders completed a 3-yr clinical trial on the caries-preventive effect of rinsings every second week during the school year with 10 ml of an 0.2% neutral solution of sodium fluoride. All children received regular dental examinations and treatment in clinics established by the municipality in which the study took place. The trial was performed under double-blind conditions. The caries increment on teeth erupted at baseline was 1.75 DMFS in the fluoride group and 1.83 DMFS in the placebo group (P greater than 0.05; 95% confidence limits for percentage caries reduction: -20.7% and 29.5%). The caries increment on teeth erupting during the trial was 0.73 DMFS in the fluoride group and 0.99 DMFS in the placebo group (P greater than 0.05; 95% confidence limits for percentage caries reduction: 1.0% and 51.6%).