A comparative study of the anticariogenic effect of sodium fluoride solution, with a concentration of 0.5%, applied weekly and under supervision, in mouthwashing and toothbrushing, used independently and in combination, was carried out on 424 children of 9 and 10 years of age from five public schools in S. Paulo, Brazil, over a period of 10 school months. The children were equally divided into three experimental groups and one control group according to the dental age (number of erupted permanent teeth surfaces) and history of caries (DMF-S). Three hundred and seven children were examined at the end of the study and the results show a statistically significant decrease at the 0.05 level, between the experimental groups and control group, in the incidence of caries - 35.19% for the mouthwashing group (Group I); 37.91% for the toothbrushing group (Group II); and 49.77% for the mouthwashing and toothbrushing group (Group IV) - on the surfaces present at the beginning and the surfaces that erupted during the study. When the experimental groups were compared there was no signicant difference in proportions at the 0.05 level.
Dental caries; Fluorine; School children
