Fluoride gels for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents.

Study answer

What this study found

Fluoride gels reduced caries in permanent dentition, with pooled D(M)FS prevented fraction 0.28 (95% CI 0.19 to 0.36) across 25 trials. The effect was 0.21 (0.15 to 0.28) in placebo-controlled trials and 0.38 (0.24 to 0.52) in no-treatment trials. Evidence for primary dentition suggested a possible benefit, but it was low quality. Analyses did not show clear effect modification by baseline caries level, background fluoride exposure, application mode, application method, frequency, or fluoride concentration. Safety reporting was limited, so adverse effects from gel ingestion could not be well…

Study & population

Systematic review/meta-analysis of 28 trials in children and adolescents 16 years or younger.

Intervention

Topically applied fluoride gel, most often as acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) or sodium fluoride, at about 4,500 to 12,300 ppm F.

Key limitation

Methodologic quality was variable, and many trials were at risk of bias.

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Original abstract