Journal of Dental Research, Vol 65, 1001-1005, Copyright © 1986 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Distribution and retention of salivary fluoride from a sodium fluoride tablet following various intra-oral dissolution methods
R. E. Primosch, J. A. Weatherell and M. Strong
The distribution and retention of salivary fluoride were investigated
according to the following intra-oral dissolution methods of a sodium
fluoride tablet: active chewing/swishing, active sucking/swishing, and
passive dissolution in the maxillary and mandibular labial vestibule. The
results suggested that the oral cavity was somewhat compartmentalized, in
that homogeneous distribution of a dissolved fluoride tablet did not occur
throughout the mouth, but rather each site sampled was influenced by
various rates of clearance and retention. Tablet chewing may have an
advantage over tablet sucking in terms of salivary fluoride retention, and
there was a tendency for fluoride to be preferentially retained in the
maxillary labial vestibule following swishing. The passive tablet
dissolution methods resulted in a less homogeneous distribution of
fluoride. Although the fluoride retention values for passive dissolution
were impressively superior to either active dissolution method, the
alarmingly high salivary fluoride concentrations (4000 ppm F) recorded at
the passive dissolution sites should discourage its use until the potential
cytotoxicity of this approach is thoroughly investigated.
