This study aimed at evaluating the effect of 1 and 4% titanium tetrafluoride (TiF₄) gels, amine fluoride (AmF) 1 and 0.25% and a fluoride varnish (FP) on the prevention of dental erosion. Two experimental groups served as controls, one with no pretreatment and another one pretreated with a fluoride-free varnish (FP-blanco). Dental erosion was modelled using bovine enamel samples submitted to alternate cycles of acid exposure in citric acid and remineralization in artificial saliva. Calcium loss of all samples involved in the study was quantified by atomic absorption spectroscopy and erosion depths were estimated. Two samples of each experimental group were also analyzed by white light confocal microscopy. The cumulative erosion depth (in µm) after 72 min was: TiF₄ gel 1% 8.29 ± 0.39; TiF₄ gel 4% 8.27 ± 0.55; AmF 1% 8.69 ± 0.66; AmF 0.25% 8.86 ± 0.33; FP 3.43 ± 1.07; FP-blanco 14.86 ± 1.59 and control 9.77 ± 0.49. A statistically significant protective effect (p ≤ 0.001) was found only for the group pretreated with the fluoride varnish. Within the limitations of an in vitro study it may be concluded that topical applications of the fluoride varnish tested have a protective effect on the prevention of dental erosion.

The prevention of dental erosion with fluoride is still largely unknown territory. It was the aim of this study to determine the erosion-inhibiting effect of topical neutral 1% sodium fluoride (NaF) application and an application of a 4% titanium tetrafluoride (TiF4) solution compared with no treatment. Ten bovine incisors were selected and three enamel samples prepared from each tooth. One sample from each tooth was assigned to one of three experimental groups. The experimental treatments were: no fluoride application (control); 4 min application of neutral 1% NaF gel; and 4 min application of 4% TiF4 solution. All of the specimens were repeatedly exposed to 50 mm citric acid solution containing 0.4 mm CaCl2, and 2.2 mm KH2PO4 at pH 3.0 over four consecutive days. The acid exposure was performed in intervals and the intensity was increased over the days of the experiment. Enamel dissolution was determined by calcium content measurement of the acid solution after exposure, using atomic absorption spectroscopy. A statistically significant erosion-inhibiting effect was found for both NaF and TiF4 treatments compared with the control group from an erosion exposure time of 3 min. The reduction of calcium loss, however, was higher for the TiF4-treated specimens than the NaF-treated. From 16 min of erosion exposure, the erosion-inhibiting effect was significantly stronger in the TiF4 than the NaF group. The relative reduction of calcium loss compared with the control group remained stable for the TiF4 group, whereas for the NaF group the relative reduction decreased with cumulative erosion time. It is concluded that topical TiF4 application provides a potential treatment option in erosion prevention.

Topical fluorides have been proposed for the prevention of erosive dental wear. This study evaluated the in vitro effect of a single professional application of 4% titanium tetrafluoride (TiF₄), 1% amine fluoride (AmF) and 0.1% difluorosilane varnish (FV) in preventing wear due to combined erosion and brushing abrasion. One hundred and eight bovine enamel samples were used. Control groups were not pretreated with any product (C), pretreated with a fluoride-free varnish (FV-bl) or pretreated with fluoride varnish and subsequently submitted to varnish removal (FV-r). Wear was modeled by submitting the fluoride-treated and control groups to 3 cycles of the following regimens: erosion/remineralization (er/remin), abrasion/remineralization (abr/remin) or erosion/abrasion/remineralization (er/abr/remin). Erosion was simulated by immersion of the samples for 10 min in citric acid 50 mM (pH 3). Abrasion was carried out for 1 min (200 strokes, load 150 g) in a wear device. Remineralization (2 h artificial saliva) took place between the cycles. Two-way ANOVA showed that there was a significant interaction (p ≤ 0.001) between the fluoride treatments and the wear regimens. Under er/remin a significant wear protective effect was found for the FV, FV-r and FV-bl groups. Abr/remin resulted in some enamel loss for the TiF₄ and AmF groups, but the amounts lost were not statistically significant (p = 0.185 and p = 1.000, respectively). Under er/abr/remin all products showed a significant protective effect, except for TiF₄. It was concluded that FV and AmF protected bovine enamel against erosion followed by brushing abrasion in vitro.

It has been suggested that fluoride products with a protective mechanical component are advantageous in the prevention of erosive wear. The aim of this study was to evaluate in situ the effect of fluoride varnish (FV) in the prevention of wear due to erosion and combined erosion and toothbrush abrasion. Eleven volunteers wore for 3 weeks, during working hours, appliances containing 2 control and 2 FV-treated human enamel samples. Erosion took place extraorally 3 times a day (5 min) in the soft drink Sprite. At the end of each experimental day one control and one FV sample (C-er+abr and FV-er+abr) were brushed (5 s) with fluoridated dentrifice. The remaining control and FV sample (C-er and FV-er) were left unbrushed. Enamel volume loss was quantified by optical profilometry at day 5, 10 and 15. A statistically significant progression in enamel loss was found for the C-er, C-er+abr and FV-er+abr groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively) but not for the FV-er group (p = 0.053). The values of cumulative normalized volume loss (×10⁸ µm) at day 15 were: C-er 5.53 ± 2.14, C-er+abr 5.70 ± 2.07, FV-er 0.79 ± 0.67 and FV-er+abr 2.76 ± 1.35. The FV-er and FV-er+abr groups showed significant lower volume loss than the C-er group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively) and the C-er+abr group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). The results indicate that fluoride varnish is effective in the reduction of erosive wear.