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Review
. 2018 Apr;62(2):207-234.
doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2017.11.003.

Fluorides and Other Preventive Strategies for Tooth Decay

Jeremy A Horst  1 , Jason M Tanzer  2 , Peter M Milgrom  3
Affiliations
Review

Fluorides and Other Preventive Strategies for Tooth Decay

Jeremy A Horst et al. Dent Clin North Am. 2018 Apr.

Abstract

We focus on scalable public health interventions that prevent and delay the development of caries and enhance resistance to dental caries lesions. These interventions should occur throughout the life cycle, and need to be age appropriate. Mitigating disease transmission and enhancing resistance are achieved through use of various fluorides, sugar substitutes, mechanical barriers such as pit-and-fissure sealants, and antimicrobials. A key aspect is counseling and other behavioral interventions that are designed to promote use of disease transmission-inhibiting and tooth resistance-enhancing agents. Advocacy for public water fluoridation and sugar taxes is an appropriate dental public health activity.

Keywords: Dental caries; Fluorides; Pit and fissure sealants; Public health dentistry; Silver diamine fluoride; Topical.

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Conflict of interest statement

disclosure statement

JAH declares no conflict of interest. PMM is a director of Advantage Silver Arrest, LLC., and served as a consultant to Cadbury Ltd. and Kraft Foods Inc. JMT has served as a grant reviewer for the Sugar Association and the National Dairy Council and as a consultant for BASF and Advantage Silver Arrest, LLC.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Annual probability of caries attack (100 Qx) of the permanent teeth, female children, Kingston, New York. Semi-logarithmic scale. Probabilities are slightly lower in male children. I1: central incisor, I2: lateral incisor, C: canine, B1: 1st bicuspid, B2: 2nd bicuspid, M1: 1st molar, M2: 2nd molar. From Carlos JP, Gittelsohn AM. Longitudinal studies of the natural history of caries—II. Arch Oral Biol. 1965;10(5):739–751; with permission.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Figure Legend: One of the authors (PMM) brushing his grandson’s teeth with fluoridated toothpaste.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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