1. Effectiveness of Early Preventive Intervention with Semiannual Fluoride Varnish Application in Toddlers Living in High-Risk Areas: A Stratified Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.
- Author
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Anderson, Maria, Dahllöf, Göran, Twetman, Svante, Jansson, Leif, Bergenlid, Ann-Cathrine, and Grindefjord, Margaret
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DENTAL fluoride treatment , *CARIOSTATIC agents , *COMPARATIVE studies , *DENTAL caries , *RESEARCH methodology , *MEDICAL cooperation , *PAINT , *RESEARCH , *EVALUATION research , *RANDOMIZED controlled trials , *PROBIOTICS , *DISEASE prevalence , *FLUORIDE varnishes , *THERAPEUTICS - Abstract
This study evaluated whether toddlers in an extended preventive program of semiannual fluoride varnish applications from 1 year of age had a lower incidence of caries than those undergoing a standard program. A cohort of 1-year-old children (n = 3,403) living in multicultural areas of low socioeconomic standing in Stockholm participated in a cluster-randomized controlled field trial with two parallel arms. The children attended 23 dental clinics. Using the ICDAS II criteria, the examiners recorded caries at baseline and after 1 and 2 years. The children in the reference group received a standardized oral health program once yearly between 1 and 3 years of age. The children in the test group received the same standard program supplemented with topical applications of fluoride varnish every 6 months. We compared the test group and the reference group for the prevalence and increment of caries. At baseline, 5% of the children had already developed caries (ICDAS II 1-6). We reexamined the children after 1 year (n = 2,675) and after 2 years (n = 2,536). Neither prevalence nor caries increment differed between the groups. At 3 years of age, 12% of the children had developed moderate and severe carious lesions (ICDAS II 3-6), with a mean increment of 0.5 (SD 2.4) in the test group and 0.6 (SD 2.2) in the reference group. In conclusion, semiannual professional applications of fluoride varnish, as a supplement to a standard oral health program, failed to reduce caries development in toddlers from high-risk communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
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