No Calcium Fluoride Found in Plaque Following a NaF Rinse

Published

February 24, 2010

Author(s)

Gerald L. Vogel, Livia M. Tenuta, Gary E. Schumacher, Laurence C. Chow

Abstract

Background: Plaque calcium fluoride or biological/bacterial calcium-fluoride deposits appear to be the source of cariostatic concentrations of fluoride in plaque fluid. Aims: (1) To quantify the amount of plaque calcium fluoride after a NaF rinse. (2) To examine the relationship of fluoride held in plaque reservoirs to plaque fluid fluoride and the relationship of plaque fluid fluoride to salivary fluoride. Methods: Thirty and sixty min after a 228 ppm F (NaF) rinse, saliva and two homogenized plaque aliquots were collected from 11 volunteers, centrifuged and the recovered fluids analyzed using microelectrodes. In order to extract calcium fluoride, without changing bacterial calcium-fluoride, one plaque aliquot was equilibrated/extracted with a solution having the same fluoride, calcium and pH as the plaque fluid obtained from the samples. The fluoride in both aliquots was then determined. Results: Nearly identical F concentrations were found in both plaque aliquots. There were strong significant correlations between the same variables at the 30 and 60 min time point as well as between plaque fluid and salivary F, but no correlation between total plaque F and plaque fluid F or salivary F. Conclusions: Total plaque F appears to be a poor predictor of plaque fluid F and hence a poor predictor of remineralization potential. In the absence of a Ca pre application, no calcium fluoride appears to be deposited in plaque after a NaF rinse. The inability to form calcium fluoride in plaque may account for the relatively rapid loss of plaque fluid F after use of F dentifrices or rinses.

Citation

Caries Research

Volume

44

Issue

2

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Fluoride, plaque, fluoride-binding, calcium

Citation

Vogel, G. , Tenuta, L. , Schumacher, G. and Chow, L. (2010), No Calcium Fluoride Found in Plaque Following a NaF Rinse, Caries Research, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=900987 (Accessed October 17, 2025)