Anticaries potential of commercial fluoride rinses as determined by fluoridation and remineralization efficiency.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
In vitro bench study on extracted human enamel specimens
What was done
The study evaluated the anticaries potential of four commercial 100 ppm fluoride mouthrinses: ACT Total Care (pH 6.34), Listerine Total Care (pH 3.57), Crest Pro-Health for Me (pH 3.33), and Crest Pro-Health Complete (pH 3.43). Two in vitro approaches were tested using human enamel specimens: 1) fluoride uptake into demineralized enamel compared to a negative water control; and 2) surface microhardness changes in sound enamel exposed to rinses and demineralizing agents compared to a positive control formulated with 225 ppm fluoride (ACT Anticavity rinse).
What was found
In Study 1, all fluoride-containing rinses produced significantly higher fluoride uptake than the water control (p < 0.05). Crest Pro-Health for Me and Crest Pro-Health Complete showed significantly higher fluoride uptake into demineralized enamel than Listerine Total Care and ACT Total Care (p < 0.05). In Study 2, the same two Crest products produced significantly lower mineral loss than the other test rinses and the 225 ppm fluoride positive control. Exact numerical values and dispersion metrics were not provided in the abstract.
Why it matters
This paper demonstrates that mouthrinse formulation properties, such as low pH, can facilitate greater fluoride uptake and acid resistance in enamel in vitro compared to formulations with higher nominal fluoride concentrations.
Limits
As an in vitro study on extracted human enamel, the experiments do not replicate dynamic oral cavity factors such as salivary clearance, pellicle formation, oral soft tissue interactions, or active biofilm metabolism. Sample sizes, exact fluoride uptake measurements, microhardness numbers, and confidence intervals were not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- context Studies show that ACT Total Care mouthwash is seven times more mineralizing than original ACT mouthwash.