USE OF PROFESSIONALLY ADMINISTERED FLUORIDE AMONG DANISH CHILDREN

The objective of this study was to determine the use of professionally administered fluoride in Denmark in 1991. Of the 275 addressed Danish municipalities 98% returned the questionnaire. Ten per cent of the municipalities with public clinics were using systematic mouthrinses with 0.2% fluoride, compared with 25% of the municipalities without public clinics (p < 0.01). In comparison, 93% of the municipalities reported having used mouthrinses in 1985. Fluoride swabbing was used by 69% of the municipalities not using mouthrinses and by 47% of the municipalities still using fluoride mouthrinses (p < 0.02). Duraphat lacquer was used in 92% of all municipalities, fluoride gel in 3% and fluoride tablets in 8% of the municipalities. It is concluded that during the past 6 years the use of professionally administered fluoride among Danish children has changed from mass-prophylactic mouthrinses to maneuvers aimed more at the specific needs of the individual.