Relationship Between Dental Caries Experience and Surface Enamel Fluoride Concentration in Young Men from Three Optimally Fluoridated Cities

Abstract

An in vivo enamel biopsy technique was used to determine relationships between dental caries experience and surface enamel fluoride levels in a group of young men from three fluoridated cities on the east coast of the U.S. A significant inverse relationship between enamel thickness and fluoride concentration was observed, and a weak but statistically significant inverse relationship between caries scores and enamel fluoride concentration was noted. The effect was most pronounced in biopsies which did not exceed 5.9 μm in depth.