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Caries incidence in permanent first molars after discontinuation of a school‐based chlorhexidine‐thymol varnish program
Author(s) -
Baca Pilar,
Junco Pilar,
Bravo Manuel,
Baca Adela P.,
Muñoz M. José
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0528.2003.00034.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dentistry , molar , discontinuation , chlorhexidine , incidence (geometry) , thymol , surgery , chemistry , physics , chromatography , essential oil , optics
– Objectives: To determine whether the cessation for 3 years of a 24‐month program of chlorhexidine‐thymol varnish applications would affect caries incidence in the first permanent molars of a population of schoolchildren of middle and lower‐middle socioeconomic level. Methods : Two groups of 6–7‐year‐old schoolchildren, randomized by school‐class, were followed up in a clinical trial. One group received applications of chlorhexidine‐thymol varnish every 3 months and the other group acted as controls. The program ended after 24 months and its effects were evaluated. Three years later, 55.5% of the schoolchildren were re‐examined and the caries increments were documented. Results : At the end of the 24‐month program, the treated children had significantly fewer decayed and filled surfaces in permanent molars (lower DFS index) versus the controls. At 3 years after the discontinuation of the program, this difference had disappeared; there were no differences in the incidence of decayed, missing and filled surfaces (DMFS) index in permanent molars between the treated children and the controls. Conclusion : The cessation for 3 years of a 3‐month program of chlorhexidine‐thymol varnish applications resulted in a nonsignificant increase in the prevalence of dental caries in the permanent first molar.