Long-term follow-up of the effects of a school-based caries preventive programme involving fluoride mouth rinse and targeted fissure sealant: evaluation at 20 years old.

AIMS: The evaluation of long-term effects five years after the completion of a school-based caries prevention programme combined with fluoride mouth rinse (FMR) and targeted sealant application (TS). PARTICIPANTS: 46 subjects in the FMR+TS group and 55 subjects in the FMR group, who were 20 -21 years old, were analysed. They had participated in each 11-year programme, underwent a dental examination at the age of 20 years and answered a self-administered questionnaire.
METHODS: The caries prevalence and mean DMFT were calculated, and differences between the two groups were analysed by the chi2 test and Mann-Whitney test, respectively. Logistic and multiple regression analyses were performed using sex, group, and five questionnaire items as independent variables.
RESULTS: The caries prevalence and mean DMFT (SD) was 28.3%, 1.56 (3.00) in the FMR+TS group and 60.0%, 2.20 (2.44) in the FMR group, and the difference was significant respectively. In the logistic regression analysis the odds ratio of the FMR+TS group to the FMR group was 0.28 (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The caries-preventive effects of a school-based combined programme with FMR and TS continued for more than five years after the programme until the age of 20 years.