A program self-administered fluorides in a rural school system.

In 1972, a self-administered fluoride program was initiated in Nelson County, VA, a fluoride-deficient area. Children in elementary school (grades K-6) ingest daily a 1-mg fluoride tablet, rinse weekly with 0.2% NaF solution and receive fluoride dentifrice for home use. In 1978, dental examinations of elementary schoolchildren (ages 6-12) who had continuously participated in the program for 1 to 6 years showed a prevalence of 2.70 DMFS, 45% lower than the score of 4.89 DMFS for their cohorts at the baseline. The preventive program inhibited dental caries effectively in all types of surfaces, but the reduction in proximal surfaces of 85% is particularly striking. Findings of high school children (ages 13-17) in 1978, who had not participated in the elementary school program for 1-5 years, showed evidence of strong post-treatment effects. At each succeeding follow-up survey, benefits have continued to improve. For elementary school participants, benefits were 17.7% after 2 years, 35.3% after 4 years and 44.8% after 6 years. Weekly fluoride mouthrinsing and daily ingestion of a fluoride tablet are feasible school-based procedures for the prevention of dental caries. Combined with the use of a fluoride dentifrice at home, these procedures have a pronounced cariostatic effect.