Fluoride dentifrices composition

Abstract

Dentifrices have a wide range of ingredients in addition to various fluoride salts as therapeutic agents, contain abrasives that can interfere with fluoride efficacy in caries prevention. In order to perform its anticaries action, a dentrifirce has to contain at least 1000 ppm of soluble fluoride. However, in order to compensate the amount of fluoride which may be inactivated when combined with the abrasive product during storage, manufacturers add 1500 ppm, a fluoride concentration that has been established as the maximum by the NOM-219-SSA1-2002. According to one study, the concentration of fluoride in dentifrices sold in the Mexican market vary widely, aside from the lack of informative labeling. Such irregularities may derive from the lack of a widely accepted methodology for the analysis of total fluoride content, the absence of an agreement on the minimum concentration of fluoride necessary to ensure effectiveness, the incompetence of the institutions meant to control the veracity of labeling information as well as from the increase in the offer of low quality dentifrice.