Effect of a calcium carbonate-based dentifrice on in situ enamel remineralization

Abstract

This crossover study evaluated the effect of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 )-based monofl uorophosphate dentifrice on enamel remineralization. Ten volunteers wore palatal appliances containing four enamel blocks with carieslike lesions, two of them covered by a test plaque of mutans streptococci. The following treatments were evaluated: a negative control, a silica-based or a CaCO 3 -based dentifrice, and the percentage of enamel surface microhardness recovery was determined. The CaCO 3 -based dentifrice was more effective than the negative control on the enhancement of enamel remineralization, either in the presence or absence of test plaque. This effi cacy was also shown by the silica-based dentifrice but only in the presence of test plaque