Methods: The subjects included 36 two-to-four years old preschoolers in Piraya-Navin school that has students from low income families. The children were randomly assigned into 2 groups after being stratified into 1) no caries, 2) 1 to 10 dmfs, and 3) more than 10 dmfs groups. The first group received brushing by teachers and the other group received fluoride varnish by a dentist. Data were analyzed using the t-test to compare the incremental dmfs of the two groups.
Results: Mean age of the children was 39.8±2.3 months and 13 were females and 23 were females. Eighteen of them were randomly assigned into fluoride varnish group including 6 females and 12 males. Another 18 in the brushing group included 7 females and 7 males. Only 24 of all subjects completed the 6-month study, which 10 were randomly assigned into the fluoride varnish group, including 3 females and 7 males. This group had mean age of 39.5±2.0 months and the mean dmfs was 13.1±10.3. The brushing group had 7 females and 7 males with the mean age of 39.8±2.6 months and the mean dmfs was 9.9±13.6. The t-test comparing incremental dmfs of both groups found that the fluoride varnish group had greater incremental dmfs than the brushing group (10.7±13.3 and 3.6±7.4, respectively). The finding was statistically significant with 90% confidence interval (p = .093).
Conclusions: After a 6-month follow-up, brushing by schoolteachers can effectively prevent dental caries and promote oral health of this group of preschoolers as compared to applying fluoride varnish.