Effect of a 3-year professional flossing program with chlorhexidine gel on approximal caries and cost of treatment in preschool children.

The aim was to evaluate the effect of chlorhexidine gel treatment on the incidence of approximal caries in preschool children. One hundred and seventeen 4-year-olds, divided into two groups, participated: (1) chlorhexidine gel group (n = 59), and (2) placebo gel group (n = 58). Group 1 was treated 4 times a year with a 1% chlorhexdine gel and group 2 with a placebo gel. Approximately 0.7 ml of gel was applied interdentally by means of a flat dental floss. A control group (group 3), which did not receive any flossing or gel treatment, was also included in the study (n = 116). After 3 years, i.e. when the children were 7 years old, the mean incidence of caries on approximal surfaces (defs), including both enamel and dentin lesions, was 2.59 in the chlorhexidine gel, 4.53 in the placebo gel and 4.20 in the control group (group 1 vs. 2 and group 1 vs. 3: p < 0.01). Mean number of approximal fillings at the end of the study, i.e. when the children were 7 years old, was 0.33 in the chlorhexidine gel, 1.04 in the placebo gel and 0.80 in the control group (group 1 vs. 2: p < 0.01; group 1 vs. 3: p < 0.05). The progression of approximal caries lesions, diagnosed on bitewing radiographs from the age of 5 to 7, was slower in the chlorhexidine than in the placebo gel group (the control group was not evaluated in this respect). A cost analysis, based on the total treatment time in minutes, showed a small gain for the flossing program.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)