Individuals with dry mouth (a reduction in the production of saliva) suffer from high rates
of oral diseases. Dry mouth is a common problem among older individuals, because many
medications to control chronic conditions (such as blood pressure, bladder-control problems
and depression) reduce the flow of saliva. For these individuals, fluoride is used to
maintain a good oral health. Usually, higher fluoride concentration products, such as
prescription toothpastes, are recommended. In this project, the ability to increase fluoride
retention in the mouth by using calcium before a conventional fluoride rinse will be tested
in older adults with a range of salivary flow rates. This approach was never tested in
patients with dry mouth, for whom the treatment with calcium may also be beneficial. A
clinical study with two experimental phases will be conducted, in which patients with a range
of saliva flows (from normal to dry mouth) will rinse with a fluoride rinse only (used at
over the counter concentration), or a fluoride rinse preceded by a calcium rinse. The
concentration of fluoride and calcium in the saliva and dental plaque residues will be
determined up to two hours after the rinse(s), to test the effect of the approach to optimize
fluoride retention in the mouth of patients with dry mouth.