Effect of fluoridated agents supplemented with sodium trimetaphosphate on erosion and abrasion of bovine dental enamel: studies in situ and ex vivo

The aim of the present study was to evaluate in situ/ex vivo fluoridated agents supplemented with sodium trimetaphosphate (TMP) on bovine enamel erosion (ERO) with or without abrasion (ERO+ABR). The 1st chapter addressed the effect of dentifrices with different fluoride (F) concentrations supplemented with TMP on ERO and ERO+ABR. Subjects (n=15) were randomly assigned into 5 groups according to the dentifrices: placebo, 1100 μg F/g, 1100 μg F/g + 3% TMP, 500 μg F/g + 3% TMP and 5000 μg F/g. The volunteers wore palatal appliances containing four enamel blocks arranged in two rows corresponding to ERO and ERO+ABR. All blocks were subjected to acid challenge with Coca-Cola® (pH 2.6) for 5 minutes 4x/ day, for 7 days. Half of the blocks (ERO) was exposed to a slurry of the dentifrice used in each phase for 15 seconds, while the other half of the blocks (ERO+ABR) was subjected to abrasion (brushing for 15 seconds) using the same slurry. Enamel wear (μm) and final surface hardness (SHf) were assessed after the experimental periods. Data were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA followed by Student-Newman-Keuls test (p<0.05). Significantly lower wear values were observed for groups 500 μg F/g + 3 %TMP and 5000 μg F/g in comparison to other groups for ERO and ERO+ABR (p<0.05). Concerning SHf, significantly higher values were observed for the group 5000 μg F/g, with no significant differences among the other groups except the placebo for both ERO and ERO+ABR (p <0.05). In the 2nd chapter the protective effect of varnishes with different F concentrationns as well as a F varnish supplemented with TMP were assessed. Volunteers (n=10) were randomly divided into four groups according to the varnishes: placebo, 5% NaF, 2.5% NaF, 2.5% NaF + 3% TMP. The volunteers wore palatal appliances similar to those described for Chapter 1. The blocks were immersed in citric acid (0.05 M, pH 3.2) for 5 minutes 4x/ day for 5 days, being treated with F-free dentifrice slurry as described in Chapter 1...