Risks and benefits of fluoride mouthrinsing.

Fluoride mouthrinses have been demonstrated in controlled clinical trials to reduce the incidence of dental caries in children by an average of 35%. This practice has been demonstrated to be a safe and effective adjunct to individual and public health preventive dental programs. The risks of fluoride mouthrinse use are primarily related to acute and chronic ingestion of fluoride, and acute ingestion of ethanol. These and other minor risks are easily controlled by adult supervision of mouthrinse use. Claims of allergic reaction or adverse behavioral reaction to food dyes in mouthrinses have not been substantiated. Recently, mouthrinses have been investigated as contributing to the risk of oral cancer, but results of retrospective studies are equivocal, especially in the light of the stronger confounding variables of alcohol consumption and tobacco use. Fluoride mouthrinses remain a safe and effective means of controlling dental decay.