Title The daily use of a fluoridated mouth rinse may reduce the demineralizing effects of xerostomia caused by age in geriatric patients’ teeth
Clinical Question In a geriatric patient where xerostomia caused by age may be a factor, will an oral mouth rinse containing fluoride decrease caries compared to no treatment?
Clinical Bottom Line The daily use of a fluoridated mouth rinse may reduce the demineralizing effects of xerostomia caused by age in geriatric patients’ teeth. (See Comments on the CAT below)
Best Evidence  
PubMed ID Author / Year Patient Group Study type
(level of evidence)
8371190Wallace/1993Dentate non-institutionalized adults aged 60 years or older with at least 15 remaining teeth residing in a fluoridated areaRandomized controlled trial
Key results466 Patients were split into 3 groups. Group A received only a placebo mouth rinse, group B received semiannual fluoride treatment (1.2%), and group C rinsed with ACT fluoride mouth rinse once daily. After 48 months the DMFS of the 3 groups were compared and group B had a significantly lower DMFS compared to group A. Group C’s DMFS was slightly lower than group B’s. The incremental DMFS were: A = 0.91, B = 0.27, C = 0.26.
Evidence Search "Tooth Remineralization"[Mesh] AND "Mouthwashes"[Mesh] AND "Fluorides"[Mesh]
Comments on
The Evidence
Good study design. Systematic review would provide a greater perspective on this topic.
Applicability Dentate elderly adults
Specialty (General Dentistry) (Dental Hygiene)
Keywords Aged, fluorides, remineralization, demineralization, mouthwash
ID# 528
Date of submission 01/26/2010
E-mail riggsc@livemail.uthscsa.edu
Author Michael Davis
Co-author(s) Chad Riggs
Co-author(s) e-mail
Faculty mentor Mary Norma Partida, DDS, MPH
Faculty mentor e-mail PARTIDAM@uthscsa.edu
   
Basic Science Rationale
(Mechanisms that may account for and/or explain the clinical question, i.e. is the answer to the clinical question consistent with basic biological, physical and/or behavioral science principles, laws and research?)
None available
spacer
Comments and Evidence-Based Updates on the CAT
(FOR PRACTICING DENTISTS', FACULTY, RESIDENTS and/or STUDENTS COMMENTS ON PUBLISHED CATs)
by Nadijah Tamimi (San Antonio, TX) on 04/09/2012
I conducted a PubMed search on this topic April 2012 and found a more recent publication: PubMed: 15513419. This systematic review of RCTs states that further clinical trials are needed to determine the effect of fluoride mouth rinses in older adults.