This investigation evaluated the effect of a fluoride baking soda-containing dentifrice on mutans streptococci counting, acidogenicity and composition of dental plaque. Twenty-three volunteers brushing their teeth 3 times a day, tested 3 formulations of fluoride (1500 ppm F), containing or sodium bicarbonate (12%) associated with calcium carbonate (CARB/BICAR), or calcium carbonate (CARBONATE), or silica (SILICA), in a double blind crossover trial, done in 3 phases of 30 days each. On the 28th day, 8-10 hours after the last brushing, a counting of mutans streptococci in saliva (SMS) was made. On the 30th day (after 48 hours during which the subjects were instructed to rinse with a slurry of toothpaste/water 3 times a day and sucrose 10% 6 times a day), the effect was analyzed in dental plaque, 10-12 hours after the last rinse: a) mutans streptococci (PMS); b) polysaccharide alkali-soluble (ASP); c) acid-soluble F (ASF) and d) pH in T0 (T0), 5 min. after cariogenic challenge (T5), calculating<FONT FACE="Symbol"> D</font>pH (T0 - T5). The results (mean + SE) according to the treatments with dentifrices SILICA, CARBONATE and CARB/BICAR, were respectively: 1) SMS (x 106 UFC/mL saliva) = 11.43 + 7.62 A; 2,33 + 1.04 A; 2.07 + 1.10 A; 2) PMS (x 106 UFC/mg) = 0.099 + 0.095 A; 0.027 + 0.018 A; 0.007 + 0.003 A; 3) ASP (<FONT FACE="Symbol">m</font>g/mg) = 6.89 + 0.62 AC; 8.46 + 0.80 AB; 6.11 + 0.59 C; 4) ASF (<FONT FACE="Symbol">m</font>g/g) = 36.67 + 10.10 A; 48.12 + 19.23 A; 52.21 + 15.12 A; 5) T0 = 6.72 + 0.12 A; 6.88 + 0.13 A; 6.65 + 0.11 A; 6) T5 = 5.61 + 0.13 A; 5.71 + 0.13 A; 5.70 + 0.12 A; 7) <FONT FACE="Symbol">D</font>pH = 1.12 + 0.11 A; 1.17 + 0.11 A; 0.95 + 0.10 A. Means followed by the same letter do not differ significantly (P < 0.05). The data show that although the baking soda-containing dentifrice demonstrated, collectively, a trend to influence positively the various factors of dental caries, it did not differ significantly from SILICA and CARBONATE dentifrices.
Dentifrice; Sodium bicarbonate; Dental plaque; Fluorine
