The anti-caries efficacy of a silica-based fluoride toothpaste containing zinc citrate, triclosan, vitamin E and sunflower oil

Aim: To evaluate the ability of a new fluoridated toothpaste, containing 1450 ppm fluoride (as sodium fluoride), vitamin E and sunflower oil, to reduce the acid-dissolution of sound dental enamel (demineralisation study), promote remineralisation of demineralised enamel (remineralisation study) and deliver and incorporate fluoride into demineralised enamel (fluoride uptake), when compared to a clinically-tested fluoride toothpaste and a non-fluoride negative control toothpaste. Methods: The de- and remineralisation studies both utilised pH cycling protocols. In the demineralisation study, sound enamel sections were used and efficacy was measured by calcium analysis of experimental solutions. For the remineralisation study, artificial carious lesions were microradiographed before and after pH-cycling. For fluoride-uptake, lesions were immersed in slurries of the toothpastes and subsequently, an acid-etching technique was used to sample the lesions. Results: Expressed as mean values (SD), for the new fluoride toothpaste, the positive and negative controls respectively were: demin study, calcium demineralisation rate = 0.0980 (0.010), 0.110 (0.009) and 0.493 (0.043) μg Ca.mm-2.h-1; remin study, Δ;Z = 20.7 (16.6), 24.6 (14.9) and −34.7 (13.1) %; F-uptake = 27.8 (1.56), 29.6 (2.00) and 1.06 (0.430) μg F.cm-2. Compared with the negative control, both the positive control and the test toothpaste significantly reduced enamel demineralisation and increased both remineralisation and fluoride uptake to enamel. There were no significant differences between the new fluoride toothpaste and positive control. Conclusion: Fluoride delivered from the new silica-based toothpaste containing vitamin E and sunflower oil was as effective as that delivered from a clinically proven toothpaste.