There is a tendency to focus on the prevention of dental caries in children yet is it is a problem that continues to affect old and young alike. While considerable time and effort is spent on preventive programmes for children far less consideration to adults.
The American Dental Association Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry has published an appraisal of a 2011 review by Gibson et al that looked at the use of supplemental topical fluorides in moderate to high care risk adult patients.
The appraiser considers the methodological approach taken by the review authors to be robust. The original review authors considered 10 of the included trials to be of good quality although the description of the randomisation processes was poor. The overall conclusion was that supplemental topical fluoride use in adults with moderate to high caries risk is effective in preventing and/or remineralising dental caries.
Gibson G, Jurasic MM, Wehler CJ, Jones JA. Supplemental fluoride use for moderate and high caries risk adults: a systematic review. J Public Health Dent. 2011 Summer;71(3):171-84. PubMed PMID: 21972457