To Evaluate the Efficacy of Recently Introduced Caries Preventive Varnishes in Visually Impaired Institutionalized Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Children with Special Health Care Needs (SHCN) face increased risk of poor oral hygiene, dental caries, and periodontal disease. Fluoride varnish, Bioactive Glass, and Embrace can help prevent tooth decay and promote remineralization. These varnishes release fluoride, calcium, and phosphate ions to strengthen tooth enamel, promote remineralization, and prevent acid attacks. Embrace Varnish, in particular, offers enhanced fluoride release and remineralization capabilities.

Aim: To comparatively evaluate the efficacy of recently introduced caries preventive varnishes in visually impaired institutional children aged 6-12 years.

Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of different fluoride varnishes in preventing tooth decay in visually impaired children. Ninety visually impaired children aged 6-12 years were randomly divided into three groups of 30 children each(n=30). The Group A received conventional fluoride varnish, Group B fluoride varnish with Bioactive Glass (BAG), and Group C fluoride varnish with CXP (Embrace). The varnishes were applied at 0, 3, and 6 months, and the decayed component of the DMFT/def index was evaluated at each follow-up visit.

Results: The DMFT scores showed a significant reduction over time, with a statistically significant difference among the groups at 3 months (p = 0.023). Post hoc analysis revealed that Group C (CXP varnish) had better results compared to Group A (conventional fluoride varnish) and Group B (BAG varnish), following the trend A > B > C. However, at 6 months, the difference among the groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.248).

Conclusion: The CXP (Embrace) varnish demonstrated better efficacy in reducing DMFT scores compared to conventional fluoride varnish and BAG varnish. Although it showed significant improvement at 3 months (p = 0.023), the difference diminished by 6 months (p = 0.248).