Hidenori Yamada, DDS, PhD,a Yoshiaki Nomura, DDS, PhD,a Shinpei Tsuge, DDS, PhD,b and Nobuhiro Hanada, DDS, PhDa
aDepartment of Translational Research, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine, Yokohama, and bTsuge Dental Clinic, Gifu, Japan
Purpose: To confirm the incipient caries so called white spot can be reversible process of demineralization and remineralization.
Materials and Methods: A total of 128 pupils were selected for the analysis. Dentists conducted oral examinations under light using dental mirrors. Images of the labial surface of the maxillary right and left central incisors of all the subjects captured using the quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) systems. Saliva samples were obtained by having subjects chew a gum base for at least 3 minutes that contained no taste or flavor additives. Salivary pH value was evaluated using pH testing paper.
Results: In this study, we revealed the 3 months variation of the incipient caries in Japanese school children. Even DMF/DMFT was a low level, over one third of all pupils (37.5%) had incipient caries detected by the quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF). After 3 months, 11 pupils (8.6%) had disappeared the incipient caries in central incisors. However, newly incipient caries were appeared in residuary pupils. Finally, a half of all pupils had incipient caries detected.
Conclusion: In this study, we revealed the three months variation of the incipient caries in Japanese school children using the quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF). We found that 8.6% of the subjects had disappeared the incipient caries. This data shows that the incipient caries is a reversible process of tooth demineralization and remineralization.
(Asian Pac J Dent 2013; 13: 5-10.)
Key Words: demineralization, incipient caries, quantitative light-induced fluorescence, remineralization