Journal of Dental Research, Vol 60, 1396-1402, Copyright © 1981 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Effects of a single application of sodium fluoride gel on dental plaque acidogenesis
L. R. Brown, J. O. White, I. M. Horton, D. H. Perkins, J. L. Streckfuss and S. Dreizen
Quantitative comparisons of the lactate and acetate produced by human
dental plaque in vitro and in situ were made before and after five-minute
exposures to 1% NaF gel. Assays included total ionic plaque fluoride by a
fluoride electrode, L(+)- and D(-)-lactate by an enzyme method, and acetate
by a standard GLC procedure. A single topical application of NaF gel
increased plaque fluoride about eight-fold. Six hours after gel use, plaque
fluoride had declined to about 20% above pretreatment levels. Plaque
fluoride baseline levels and variation between and within subjects were
greater than expected. This may have been due largely to non-standardized
oral hygiene practice and/or the routine use of fluoride dentifrices and
the wide variation in the natural fluoride content of drinking water.
Fluoride gel use significantly reduced L(+)-lactate in vitro, but
D(-)-lactate and acetate were virtually unaffected. Conversely, gel use
significantly inhibited the in situ production of each of these acids. The
findings of this study indicate that topically applied fluoride gel impairs
plaque acidogenesis to an extent that could be meaningful in preventing
dental caries.
