Preventive dentistry 1. Fluoride toothpaste, the cornerstone of caries prevention
After the introduction of effective fluoride toothpastes in the 1970s oral health has improved significantly. Since that time, a lot of energy has gone into improving the toothpastes. An important improvement is the increased substantivity of fluoride and the increase in the duration of its effectiveness. In addition, attempts are currently being made to combine fluoride with effective re-mineralising systems, which is technically challenging. Due to a diversity of compositions, the effectiveness of toothpastes varies. It is, however, impossible to compare all available toothpastes on a 1 to 1 basis. The precise effectiveness cannot be deduced from the ingredients, nor is the dosage-response relationship between the concentration of fluoride and its effectiveness clear. The careful use of toothpaste will compensate for small differences in effectiveness. Times for tooth brushing should be chosen when there is enough time to brush carefully. After brushing, rinsing for one minute with the toothpaste slurry and a sip of water possibly increases the effectiveness of the toothpaste.