Urinary fluoride excretion in children with low fluoride intake or consuming fluoridated salt.

The purpose of this study was to compare urinary fluoride excretion with fluoride ingestion in children who had either a low fluoride intake or received supplemental fluoride through salt or water. The urinary samples were collected in two ways. In procedure A, urine was collected in the morning, at noon and during the afternoon. This covered a continuous period of approximately 7 h from the beginning to the end of the school day. In procedure B, morning, afternoon and night samples were collected. The morning and afternoon samples were obtained under supervision at school. Procedure B was more useful than procedure A for monitoring salt fluoridation projects. Children with a history of low fluoride intake excreted a mean of 10 micrograms F/h during the night and the morning, but 13-16 micrograms F/h after the main meal. Children in a water-fluoridated town or in comprehensive salt fluoridation programs excreted between 19 and 33 micrograms F/h. However, after the intake of meals prepared with fluoridated salt (250 ppm F) the mean excretion of fluoride ranged between 31 and 49 micrograms F/h. The levels of excretion corresponded with the levels of fluoride intake and meal patterns in the various groups.

[The caries occurrence in 7- to 12-year-old schoolchildren in Switzerland. The results of a country-wide survey 1987-89]. / Kariesbefall bei 7- und 12jährigen Schülern in der Schweiz. Resultate einer landesweiten Erhebung 1987-89.

Between 1987 and 1989, a random sample of school children aged 7 and 12 years in Switzerland was drawn. In the first stage, districts were chosen. Within the districts, 12 children in the two specified age groups were selected. In addition, Switzerland was subdivided into two strata. The children of stratum 2 had consumed fluoridated salt since birth while those of stratum 1 had only done so during the preceding 4 to 5 years but had benefitted since the age of 5 to 7 from dental health education programs using fluorides at school. The oral examinations were carried out according to the methodology of the World Health Organization. Attendance was 94% (1115 children). 47% of the seven-year-old children were caries-free, and the average dmft was 2.20 (95% confidence limits at 1.87 and 2.52). The average dt was 1.06. These children had an average DMFT of 0.40, with 77% having DMFT = 0. At the age of 12, the average DMFT was 2.03, with confidence limits at 1.73 and 2.33. On average, they had 0.45 DT and 38% of them were caries-free (DMFT = 0). There were only minor differences between the 2 strata. These results agreed well with the data from 6 local surveys carried out during 1987 to 1989. When compared with the majority of European countries, caries experience of Swiss children was fairly low.

[Dental caries (DMFT) in adults in Switzerland 1988]. / Zahnkaries (DMFT) bei Erwachsenen in der Schweiz 1988.

In 1988, 864 adults were examined for dental and periodontal conditions in 47 dental offices in Switzerland according to WHO methods. Among the 57 offices selected at random 10 dentists were unwilling to cooperate. Within each office, 36 patients were chosen by a randomizing mechanism. 51 percent of the selected patients presented themselves for the examination whereas 14 percent refused to participate in the study; of the remaining subjects one third could not be reached during the three to five days available for contacting them and two thirds were unable to come to the respective dental office at the preset day of examination. The DMF data obtained were similar to the results of previous local surveys, part of which were based on random samples. Up to age 74, it was concluded that the data of the present survey are fairly representative of the Swiss resident population. In the age group 75 and above, the number of missing teeth (MT) was too low, mainly due to edentulous persons, institutionalized and other, being obviously underrepresented. The Swiss DMFT of 22.3 in the age group 35-44 was almost the highest mean among 26 European countries. However, prevention efforts at school age, already obvious in the age group 30-34, will substantially improve the results at age 35-44 by the year 1998. The number of DT was 1.0 and 1.3 for the ages up to 29 and below 1.0 in the older groups. Up to age 54, FT was the most important component of the DMFT while in the older groups, MT was highest.

[Dental surveillance and prophylaxis among schoolchildren in the Canton of Geneva between 1980 and 1990]. / Dépistage et prévention dentaires scolaires dans le canton de Genève, entre 1980 et 1990.

As in previous years, the dental status of schoolchildren from Geneva has been examined on a yearly basis between 1980 and 1990. A global assessment is presented here, showing a gradual increase in the percentage of caries-free children, especially in kindergarten classes. Moreover, a single evaluation of first permanent molars is presented.

[Urinary excretion of fluorides in schoolchildren of Lausanne and Geneva in relation to salt fluoridation]. / Excrétion urinaire de fluorures chez des écoliers de Genève et Lausanne, en relation avec la fluoration du sel.

Urinary excretion of fluoride and sodium and urinary flow were studied in 230 schoolchildren (average age: 11.1 years) in the following situation: in 1984 and 1988 in Geneva, 1 year and 5 years after the introduction of fluoridated domestic salt (250 mg/kg), and in 1985 in Lausanne, 15 years after the general introduction of salt fluoridation for this city and its surrounding canton (Vaud). Among consumers of fluoridated salt, the average excretion of F ion during morning and afternoon was 15.4 and 43.7 micrograms F/h, respectively, in Geneva (1988) and 26.4 and 49.9 micrograms F/h, respectively, in Lausanne (1985). Among non-consumers of fluoridated domestic salt, excretion values during morning and afternoon were 9.9 and 20.7 micrograms F/h, respectively, in Geneva (1988), and 18.4 and 26.1 micrograms F/h, respectively, in Lausanne. Between 1984 and 1988, an increase in fluoride excretion was observed in schoolchildren of Geneva. During approximately 10 night hours, 8.8 to 16.4 micrograms F/h were excreted in Geneva, but F-salt consumers in Lausanne excreted 25.8 micrograms F/h. Averages of sodium excretion varied between 80 and 144 mg Na/h at daytime and between and 81 mg Na/h at night.

Influence of 3-methoxy 5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavan (ME) on experimental periodontitis in the golden hamster.

Experimental periodontal disease was induced in golden hamsters by feeding the animals with a Keyes 2 000 diet. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of 3-methoxy 5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavan (ME), a flavanoid derivative, on periodontally induced changes by this diet which was fed ad libitum to half of the animals for 2 months prior to the start of drug therapy. The animals were then divided into 4 groups: A) control animals on normal diet; B) ME-treated (200 mg/kg 3 times a week i.p.) animals on normal diet; C) animals on Keyes 2 000 diet; D) ME-treated (200 mg/kg 3 times a week i.p.) animals on Keyes 2 000 diet. ME inhibited the diminution of bone volume as measured morphometrically. The growth of dental plaque as evaluated by a sensitive index (PII) appeared to be retarded by ME. The average PII in the ME-treated animals reached after 2 months of diet remained unchanged during the drug therapy period (4 months); whereas it was significantly increased in the group C hamsters. The biochemical data further suggest that the resorption process of the alveolar bone was decreased by ME.

[Preventive dentistry, particularly in schools]. / Médecine dentaire préventive, en particulier dans les écoles.

Dental caries may easily be prevented. Based on experiences extending over 20 years, several preventive programs for schoolchildren can be offered and the one best suited for the local circumstances may be selected. Two types of dental auxiliaries have proved very useful to realize preventive programs on the level of communities and/or cantons, requiring costs of only Fr. 3.--to 7.-- per year and child. Considering the excellent results already available, it should be possible to obtain cooperation even of those communities who have not yet introduced preventive programs. If salt fluoridation could also be generalized, caries levels could be reduced to a fraction of their initial values.

[Plak-out and Broxojet 3007. Clinical study]. / Plak-out et Broxojet 3007. Etude clinique.

It is known that chlorhexidine, a plaque preventing agent, can cause discolorations and other side effects when used in mouthwashes at the concentration of 0.1% or more. By diluting the amount of chlorhexidine used in a mouthwash in the much greater volume of water used in a pulsating device, one could try to avoid these side-effects and, possible keep the antiplaque properties of chlorhexidine. Furthermore, it was interesting to check whether plaque, which is normally not removed by the mechanical action of a pulsating device, could be removed when the water of the device contains chlorhexidine. In the first part of the study, the effectiveness of chlorhexidine given by mouthwash (10 ml at 0.1%) has been compared to that of the same amount of chlorhexidine diluted in 400 ml of water of a pulsating device (conc. 0.0025%). The average gingival index of inflammation and plaque index, as well as the amount of gingival fluid have been measured, by previously standardized procedures, in a group of 18 students with healthy gingivae before and after a 7-days period of no-brushing. One third of the students used chlorhexidine solution in daily mouthwashes, one third used chlorhexidine in the Broxojet and the last 6 students used Broxojet with a placebo. The part of the study concerning the Broxojet was carried out in double blind. At the concentration of 0.1% in mouthwashes, chlorhexidine was found, as expected, to inhibit plaque formation. The same amount of drug diluted in the liquid of a pulsating device was, on the contrary, much less effective. Staining was noticed in most of the volunteers. The second part of the study was similarly designed and performed in the aim of checking whether higher amounts of chlorhexidine were effective in preventing plaque when used in the Broxojet: in the pulsating device, chlorhexidine was found to be effective only at the concentrations of 0.025%.