Effect of fluoride on the antibacterial properties of fissure sealants

Method: Helioseal F, Ultraseal XT, Dyract Seal, and GC Fuji TRIAGE, were placed on the sidewalls of wells of a 96-microtiter plate. After polymerization and 30 day aging process, the samples were daily rinsed with 0.05% NaF solution for 14 days.

24h after the last fluoride rinse, freshly grown s.mutans cells (circa 1 x 10⁶) were placed on the surface of each sample for 1 hour at 37ºC. Fresh media was then added to each well, samples were monitored for 24h by temperature controlled spectrophotometer.

Similar experiments were conducted on samples 48h and 72h after the last fluoride rinse. One-way ANOVA, two-way ANOVA and Tukey multiple comparison procedures were applied to the data.

Results: The results showed that both GC Fuji TRIAGE and Dyract Seal possessed antibacterial properties 24h after the last fluoride exposure. GC Fuji TRIAGE maintained potent antibacterial properties 48h after the last fluoride rinse (p<0.001).72h after the last fluoride rinse none of the materials showed any antibacterial properties(p<0.92).

Conclusions: An aging process of glass-ionomer, compomer and composite resin based sealant materials, for 30 days, resulted in a complete elimination of their antibacterial properties. A refluoridation by 30 seconds daily 0.05% NaF rinse for a fortnight partially regained the antibacterial attributes of the glass-ionomer and the compomer based sealants.