With convenient single-dose packaging, FluoroDose 5% sodium fluoride varnish is easy to brush on and comes in 5 flavors.
Hygienist Donna Shewbert was looking for a varnish that was easy to apply, tasted good to the patient, and didn’t leave a chunky residue. When she tested the FluoroDose 5% Sodium Fluoride Varnish with Xylitol as part of an evaluation for Dental Product Shopper, she found a product that met her expectations.
“Everyone loved the flavor,” Shewbert said. “They also didn’t feel like this fluoride varnish left a bad aftertaste or a thick uneven coating. It blended uniformly in the well and applied easily and evenly.”
Armed with the maximum fluoride dosage allowed (22,600 ppm), FluoroDose is a great tool to prevent caries and is also FDA-cleared for treating dentinal sensitivity. Laurie Humphrey, a hygienist and DPS evaluator who uses varnish for caries prevention, recalcification, and sensitivity reduction, was pleased with FluoroDose. “This product helped provide a positive dental experience for our patients,” she reported.
Flavor and Scent
FluoroDose is available in 5 flavors: Caramel, Bubble Gum, Mint, Cherry, and Melon. Most of the hygienists who evaluated FluoroDose for DPS tried the newest caramel flavor, but a few wanted to try the other flavors. All agreed that the flavors were pleasant, with some describing the flavor as a great taste. One evaluator said patients liked the smell, taste, and consistency.
“This fluoride varnish made my job child’s play. It tastes just like candy!” shared hygienist Amber Sanchez. “I loved the caramel flavor. It definitely tasted better than any fluoride I have used before!” Diana Carr, RDHAP, works with developmentally disabled adults and said a large percentage of her patients have taste aversions. Decent taste options are important in a varnish, Carr noted. “This product seems to have more patient acceptance,” she said. “The taste makes it a better experience for the patient, and a happier patient makes me less stressed.”
Shewbert, who noted the flavor and scent were the features she liked best, said, “Most of my patients didn’t require a rinse or feel the need to spit, which was a huge timesaver. Children under 5 seemed to like the flavor and didn’t mind the feeling on their teeth.”
Ease of Use
FluoroDose is packaged in convenient, single dose units (.3 mL each) that are easy to use and clean up, according to Centrix. A user dips the brush in the single-use LolliPack package, mixes it with the applicator, brushes the varnish on the teeth, and throws it all away when finished.
“[I] wanted an easy-to-apply fluoride that would have flavor appeal to kids,” said Sanchez. “This leads to stress-free application and a great patient experience. This product makes my job easier.”
When asked to share 3 ways FluoroDose has impacted her practice, Carr pointed to patient acceptance, ease of use/faster application, and less waste, which results in less money spent. Arizona hygienist Cynthia Sanderson shared, “Most people loved it. It went on smoothly, tasted great, blended with tooth color, and was easily accepted. I used it on everyone that had sensitivity, abfractions, pitted enamel, or other abnormal areas.”
Flowability, Lack of Clumping, and Esthetics
The FluoroDose varnish can be mixed before application with the Benda Brush applicator, which also helps apply a consistent level of fluoride. The material dries in seconds upon contact with saliva and remains on the tooth for 6 to 8 hours for optimum fluoride uptake.
Carr, who said she wants a varnish that looks good and doesn’t clump in the packaging or in the mouth, reported that she did not come across any package where the FL2 had solidified, and said it was a plus that the material was not brown. Both Carr and Ambur Alfaro said flowability and lack of clumping were 2 features they liked best about the FluoroDose, and Carr reported less waste because it doesn’t clump.
Donna Bowman, RDHAP, said no patients complained about how the material felt on the tooth. “[There was] virtually no clumping/beading of the material at placement,” she said. Hygienist Cyndi Hanna said the varnish wasn’t as gritty as most she has used. Sanderson said it blended with the tooth color.
Overall Satisfaction
Almost all of the evaluators said they would recommend FluoroDose to colleagues, and most would purchase it in the future. After using the varnish for 4 weeks in her practice, Bowman concluded that patients had reduced pain on scaling with reduction in generalized hypersensitivity post procedure.
Shewbert, who used FluoroDose on a patient who had continuous sensitivity around a crown, shared, “[The patient] couldn’t tolerate the air from the handpiece to adjust her bite. We coated the tooth with this product, and she had immediate relief.” She continued, “I love this product. I have recommended to our doctors that we use this product regularly in the hygiene department. I have also recommended this product to my colleagues.”
