Fluoride concentration in saliva after toothbrushing with power or manual toothbrush and Sodium Fluoride-containing toothpaste, a clinical crossover study

Abstract

Abstract Background Power toothbrushes gain increasing acceptance for oral hygiene procedures. However, the brush head is generally smaller than that of a manual brush thus accommodating less toothpaste. This might influence salivary fluoride concentrations. Methods In a group of 20 adult volunteers in a 2-legged crossover study. They were instructed to use their habitual quantity of toothpaste (containing 1450ppm as NaF) ad libitum on a manual or power toothbrush. Salivary samples were taken at baseline, after 2 minutes brushing, after 5 minutes and then stepwise up to 60 minutes after brushing. Salivary samples were electrochemically analyzed for fluoride (ISE) for TF (total fluoride, whole sample after acid digestion) and IF (ionizable fluoride after centrifugation but without digestion), Area under the curve (AUC) and curve parameters after regression were calculated and compared using nonparametric statistical methods. Results Toothpaste quantity was significantly (p < 0.05) higher with manual toothbrushes (manual ranging from 0.3-2.1g, electric from 0.2-1.2g). Volunteers placing low amounts of toothpaste on a manual brush also did so on the power brush (Spearman-rank correlation coefficient 0.503, p = 0.024). However, this difference in quantity was not reflected in AUC in saliva (p > 0.05). A small but significant difference was found between TF and IF for AUC, reflecting some interaction between saliva compounds and fluoride, independent of toothbrush type. Conclusions Interindividual variability is more important in fluoride availability in saliva than differences in toothpaste quantity between power and manual toothbrushing. Trial registration: Belgian health authorities n° B670201836852 Trial registration: Belgian health authorities n° B670201836852