Effect of fluoride gels and mouthrinses in combination with saliva substitutes on demineralised bovine enamel in vitro

Objective s the use of saliva substitutes, patients suffering from hyposalivation are instructed to apply fluoride products to prevent caries. Some saliva substitutes have been shown to demineralise enamel; an effect that might be counteracted by the application of fluoride gels or mouthrinses. Combined use of these products with remineralising or neutral saliva substitutes might result in more pronounced remineralisation. s ralised bovine enamel specimens were either stored in mineral water [W, control; saturation with respect to octacalcium phosphate (SOCP): 0.7], an experimental demineralising carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)-based solution (C, SOCP: 0.3), or in a modified (SOCP) saliva substitute [Saliva natura (SN), SOCP: 1.6] for five weeks (37 °C). After two weeks half of the exposed surfaces were nail varnished. The following treatments were applied twice daily for 10 min each time (n = 14-18/group): 1: no treatment, 2: Meridol mouthrinse, 3: Elmex sensitive mouthrinse, 4: ProSchmelz fluoride gel, and 5: Elmex gelée. Mineral parameters before and after storage were evaluated from microradiographs. s ens stored in C showed significantly higher mineral loss compared to W and SN (p < 0.05; ANOVA). For C additional use of fluorides resulted in less demineralisation (p < 0.05) compared to C alone. SN in combination with ProSchmelz led to significantly higher remineralisation compared to all other groups (p < 0.05). sions fluorides reduces the detrimental effects of the demineralising solution. Treatment with ProSchmelz in combination with storage in a saliva substitute supersaturated with respect to OCP yielded to most pronounced remineralisation under the conditions chosen.