Physicians' Roles in Preventing Dental Caries in Preschool Children: Summary of the Evidence. Table 3. Abbreviated Evidence Table of Effects of Fluoride Varnish on Primary Teeth

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Table 3. Abbreviated Evidence Table of Effects of Fluoride Varnish on Primary Teeth

Study, year	Country	Design	Age at baseline	Fluoride interventions	Other F exposure	Blinding	Attrition, %	Sample size, n		% Reduction^a, index used	NNT
Study, year	Country	Design	Age at baseline	Fluoride interventions	Other F exposure	Blinding	Attrition, %	Experiment	Control	% Reduction^a, index used	NNT
Holm, 1979³⁹	Sweden	RCT, 2 y, alternate assignment	3.0	2.2% F Duraphat® 2/y	71% F dentifrice, 27% F tabs	Patients	10	113	112	44**, defs	1.2
Grodzka, 1982⁴⁰	Poland	Comparison schools, 2 y, assignment unclear	3.5	2.2% F Duraphat® 2/y	"low" F exposure, no professional F application	None	20	100	148	5, dmfs₁
Frostell, 1991⁴¹	Sweden	RCT, 2 y	4.0	2.2% F Duraphat® w/wo invert sugar 2/y	"most" use F dentifrice, "occasional" use of F supplements and mouth rinse	Examiners	Not reported	26 (sucrose) 18 (invert) 113 (neither)	37 33 93	+31, dmfs₂ +50, dmfs₂ 30, dmfs₂ 37**, dmfs₁	1.5
Twetman, 1996⁴²	Sweden	Comm trial, 2 y, public clinics matched on SES	4.5	0.1% F Fluor Protector® 2/y	0.1 ppm F in water, 95% on F dentifrice, "a few" given F supplements	None	2	374	442	30*, dfs	4.3
Petersson, 1998⁴³	Sweden	Comm trial, 2 y, public clinics matched on specified criteria	4.5	0.1% F Fluor Protector® 2/y	10% with 1.2 ppm in water, 90% use F dentifrice	None	19	1,916	2,245	6, dfs	NR
Autio-Gold, 2001⁴⁴	United States	RCT, 0.75 y	3-5	2.2% F Duraphat®	0.8 ppm F in water	Patients	22	83	59	63, dmfs₁ 67*, dmfs₂	0.8
^aDifferences not significant unless otherwise noted. Different from control at P < 0.05. Different from control at P < 0.01. Note:* Comm indicates community; defs, decayed, extracted, and filled primary tooth surfaces; dfs, decayed, filled primary tooth surfaces; dmfs₁, decayed, missing, and filled primary tooth surfaces, incipient lesions excluded; dmfs₂, decayed, missing, and filled primary tooth surfaces, incipient lesions included; F, fluoride; NNT, number needed to treat; ppm, parts per million; RCT, randomized controlled trial; SES, socioeconomic status; w/wo, with or without.

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