Comparative Assessment of Sodium Fluoride and Calcium Fluoride Remineralizing Agents on Enamel Mineral Reconstitution

Abstract

Introduction: The therapeutic foundation for arresting and reversing incipient enamel lesions rests upon the principle of fluoride-mediated remineralization. CaF₂ and sodium NaF represent two mechanistically distinct fluoride reservoirs with differing ionic release kinetics and crystallographic integration profiles. Despite their widespread clinical adoption, a rigorous nanoscopic comparative evaluation of their differential remineralizing capacities at defined temporal intervals remains insufficiently characterized.

Objective: To quantitatively and morphologically evaluate and compare the remineralizing efficacy of CaF₂ and NaF on artificially demineralized human enamel post-treatment intervals.

Methods: Twenty permanent teeth were allocated into three groups: control, CaF₂, and NaF. Standardized artificial demineralization was induced via 17% EDTA treatment. Remineralizing agents (50 mg each) were applied twice daily over 7 and 14 consecutive days in artificial saliva. Ultra-morphological surface analysis was performed by FE-SEM, and elemental weight percentage were quantified by EDS.

Results: FE-SEM analysis demonstrated time-dependent and agent-specific patterns of mineral deposition. At Day 7, NaF-treated specimens exhibited superior surface mineral coverage in the form of rough flakey fluorohydroxyapatite (FHA) crystalline deposits compared to CaF₂-treated specimens, which showed particulate globular deposition. By Day 14, CaF₂ demonstrated a more extensive, uniform, and confluent remineralization pattern, indicative of its sustained fluoride reservoir kinetics. EDS quantification revealed statistically significant differences in Ca and P weight percentages.

Conclusions: Both CaF₂ and NaF demonstrated significant enamel remineralization efficacy, with distinct temporal and morphological profiles. NaF exhibited superior early-phase (Day 7) mineral deposition, while CaF₂ demonstrated more uniform and sustained remineralization at Day 14, consistent with its slow-release fluoride reservoir mechanism.