The ÂŁ1.7 million ($2.8 million) study will see if a prevention package delivered by dentists in practice can prevent tooth decay in young children and the trial outcomes could inform the development of NHS dental services and interventions in the U.K.
The three-year, collaborative trial will take place in Northern Ireland but will involve a team of dental experts led by Martin Tickle, B.D.S., M.Sc., Ph.D., of the OHU. The OHU has a track record of delivering high-profile, policy-relevant dental research, the university noted in a press release.
"This is hugely significant for dentistry as we were competing with all other areas of dental, health, and health care research. It demonstrates our research reputation in being selected to deliver a study with such important potential outcomes," Dr. Tickle said.
Recent studies have shown that prevention of decay in the primary teeth in NHS general dental practice is not very effective and that over a three-year period 35% of 2- to 3-year-olds registered with a dentist develop tooth decay, the release noted. Northern Ireland has a particular problem, where approximately 45% of 5-year-olds have tooth decay.
In England all NHS GDPs have been sent an evidence-based tool kit that identifies best evidence for preventive care, but research has yet to show whether these interventions are cost effective when used in daily NHS practice. The trial will therefore test the cost effectiveness of fluoride varnish and family-strength fluoride toothpaste provided in general practice twice a year to help prevent decay.
"The aim of the trial is to see if we can keep a larger proportion of children free of decay by using a fluoride varnish and toothpaste," Dr. Tickle said. "Hopefully the findings will help to inform future policy on children's dental health and focus on proactively preventing tooth decay rather than treating the disease once it has started."
