Kinetics of acquisition and loss of calcium fluoride by enamel in vivo.

Two in vivo experiments were performed, concerning (1) the kinetics of the acquisition of calcium fluoride on enamel during daily rinses with a solution of 0.023% F as sodium fluoride, and (2) the loss of calcium fluoride from enamel slabs which had been topically treated with a neutral solution containing 0.9% F as sodium fluoride. Enamel slabs were carried in the mouth by 6 volunteers for 8 days in both experiments. Sound and etched enamel were included. (1) During mouthrinses moderate amounts of fluoride were acquired by sound enamel, and more as calcium fluoride than as fluoridated apatite, whereas on etched enamel, more fluoride was deposited as fluoridated apatite. On etched enamel there was also a tendency that the deposition of calcium fluoride levelled out whereas the incorporation of firmly bound fluoride continued. This may indicate that calcium fluoride was transformed into fluoridated apatite, probably through remineralization during pH cycling in plaque covering the etched enamel. (2) After single topical application, it was found that etched enamel initially took up more calcium fluoride than sound enamel, but also lost more during the 1st day of in vivo exposure. The loss of calcium fluoride was arrested after 1-2 days, on sound enamel at 70% and on etched enamel at 40% of the original level. It is suggested that the increased amounts of firmly incorporated fluoride in enamel originated from calcium fluoride on enamel, and that calcium fluoride is an important and clinically significant source of fluoride ions on enamel.