Effect of Bottled Water and Fluoride Toothpaste Usage on Caries Lesion Remineralization.

Abstract

Background: The importance of fluoride in the prevention of dental caries has been well documented in the literature, as it inhibits demineralization of the tooth structure and enhances remineralization. One of the major public health policies to prevent caries is to provide the population with an adequate amount of fluoride through community water fluoridation. Nowadays many people drink bottled water instead of tap water due to its easy access, convenience, and low cost. Besides fluoride, other minerals present in tap and bottled water, such as calcium and magnesium, are also important in decreasing dental caries prevalence. However, our knowledge of the role of bottled water in caries prevention and especially when combined with fluoride toothpaste usage is still poor. Objectives: The aim of this in-vitro study was to evaluate the effects of some bottled waters on fluoride toothpaste efficacy in enhancing caries lesion remineralization. Methodology: Early caries lesions were created in bovine enamel specimens and stratified into treatment groups based on Vickers surface microhardness (VHN). The present study followed a two (fluoride and fluoride-free toothpaste) by five (four bottled waters and tap water) factorial design. The treatment groups were bottled water with the following attributes: a) 309.9 ppm Ca/1.20 ppm F; b) 118.4 ppm Ca/0.16 ppm F; c) 1.00 ppm Ca/1.01 ppm F; d) 0.1 ppm Ca/0.04 ppm F, and tap water (48.7 ppm Ca/0.7 ppm F). The five water groups were paired either with 1100 ppm fluoride or fluoride-free toothpaste, yielding 10 groups. Specimens were pH-cycled for 10 days with the daily regimen comprised of twice daily toothpaste slurry, with four exposures to water in between. VHN was measured, again, and the difference calculated (ΔVHN). Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA at a 5-percent significance level. Results: The two-way interaction between water and toothpaste was significant (p < 0.001). All groups except fluoride-free toothpaste/bottled water with 0.1 ppm Ca/0.04 ppm F (p = 0.411) had significant increases in VHN after pH cycling (p ≤ 0.023). Fluoridated toothpaste resulted in a higher rate of remineralization compared to fluoridefree toothpaste (all p < 0.001). Bottled water with 1.20 ppm F/309.9 ppm Ca exhibited the greatest extent of remineralization within fluoride toothpaste groups (p < 0.001) and higher remineralization than lower fluoride water in fluoride-free toothpaste groups (p ≤ 0.006). Within the fluoridated toothpaste group, tap water exhibited significantly less remineralization compared to all bottled waters (all p < 0.001). Conclusion: Within the limitation of this study, bottled water with higher fluoride and calcium concentrations might improve fluoridated toothpaste efficacy by enhancing remineralization of early enamel caries-like lesions.