Journal of Dental Research, Vol 68, 496-498, Copyright © 1989 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Comparison of fluoride uptake produced by tray and flossing methods in vitro
M. K. Guo, L. C. Chow, C. T. Schreiber and W. E. Brown
Paffenbarger Research Center, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899.
The purposes of this study were to compare: (i) the fluoride (F) uptake by
enamel in approximal areas of teeth when the F agent was applied in vitro
via a tray or a flossing technique; and (ii) the effectiveness of two
treatments--acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) alone and CaHPO4.2H2O
(DCPD)-forming pre-treatment followed by APF. Groups of three teeth (one
premolar and two molars) were mounted in impression compounds simulating
their oral configuration. In the tray group, teeth received one four-minute
treatment by means of custom-formed trays. In the flossing group, the
approximal areas of teeth were flossed for 40 sec twice daily for three
days with an absorbent floss wetted with the treatment solution. All teeth
were incubated in a saliva-like solution except during treatment. At the
end of the three-day period, teeth were unmounted and washed in 1 mol/L KOH
for 24 hours. The F uptake was calculated from biopsy data obtained before
and after the treatment. The results showed that (i) DCPD-APF produced
significantly greater F uptake than APF alone in both the tray and flossing
methods, and (ii) the flossing technique produced significantly greater F
uptake in the approximal areas than the tray method for either treatment.
