Effect of over-the-counter fluoridated products regimens on root caries inhibition

• The prevalence of root caries is increasing mainly in elderly.
• There is no consensus on non-invasive treatment for this disease.
• Dentine carious lesions were exposed to over-the-counter fluoridated products.
• Dentifrice thrice a day has better caries inhibition than associated with mouthwash.
• Dentifrice thrice a day has better caries inhibition than its use twice a day.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effect of fluoridated dentifrice (FD) and mouthwash (FM) under different treatment regimens on root caries (RC) inhibition.MethodsDual-species biofilms formed by Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus casei were grown on the surface of bovine root dentine slabs which were exposed during 3 consecutive days to one of the following treatments: T1—distilled and deionized water 3×/day; T2—FD (1450 ppm F) 2×/day; T3—FD 2×/day + FM (226 ppm F) 1×/day; T4—FD 3×/day. Viable microorganisms counts were performed after 4 days of biofilm formation. Percentage of surface microhardness change (%SMC), lesion depth (LD; μm), integrated mineral loss (IML; vol% × μm) and the percentages of change (Δ%) in the ratio of fluorapatite (FAp/amide) and hydroxiapatite (HAp/amide) were calculated.ResultsMinor changes were found on microbial counts in response to different treatments (p < 0.05). %SMC in T4 was statistically lower compared with T2, but with no significant difference compared with T3. LD of slabs treated with T4 was statistically lower compared with T2 and T3, which were not significantly different between them. No significant differences were found for IML, FAp and HAp among the fluoridated treatments (p > 0.05).ConclusionThe use of FD 3×/day may be more effective than the use of FD 2×/day or the tested association between FD and FM on RC inhibition.