Effect of 1000 ppm relative to 250 ppm fluoride toothpaste. A meta-analysis.

PURPOSE To estimate the overall effect of 1000 ppm F relative to 250 ppm F toothpaste. METHODS Experimental caries increment studies from the dental literature, which compared 1000 ppm with 250 ppm fluoride toothpastes, were summarized using meta-analytic methods. RESULTS The overall caries reduction of 1000 ppm F relative to 250 ppm F paste was estimated to be 0.142 (95%-CL: 0.074-0.210) when applying a fixed effects model and 0.129 (95%-CL: 0.012-0.230) when applying a random effects model. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The present analysis found slightly lower caries increments (14%, 13%) in children using 1000 ppm F toothpastes compared to children using 250 ppm F pastes. On the other hand, the use of 1000 ppm F pastes is associated with dental fluorosis. Considering these effects it seems justifiable to the authors to keep the use of 250 ppm F pastes for preschool children in Switzerland.