NECESSITY AND URGENCY TO CHANGE THE BRAZILIAN REGULATION ABOUT FLUORIDE TOOTHPASTES, AND THE STATEMENT OF THE BRAZILIAN ACADEMY OF DENTISTRY WHY THE CURRENT BRAZILIAN REGULATION ABOUT FLUORIDE TOOTHPASTES REQUIRES URGENT REVISION?

Abstract

Introduction: the first Brazilian regulation on fluoride toothpastes (Ordinance No 22 of 12/20/1989, of the National Health Surveillance Secretariat) established not only the maximum concentration of total fluoride (1500 ppm F) that a toothpaste should contain in terms of safety oral hygiene product, but also the minimum concentration of fluoride chemically soluble fluoride (potentially active against caries) that should contain to have ensure the anticaries benefit of toothbrushing. Objective: to prove the need and urgency of reviewing the current Brazilian regulation on fluoridated toothpastes and record the statement of the Brazilian Academy of Dentistry. Sources of data: Lilacs, PubMed, and SciELO databases and
in the files of the Laboratory of Oral Biochemistry from FOP-UNICAMP. Synthesis of data: since 1994, the Ordinance No. 22 underwent continuous changes, culminating in 08/04/2021 with the resolution ANVISA RDC No 530. The changes made were not based on the best scientific evidence of the subject, that has the Brazilian Dentistry
as an international reference. Thus, since the first change made in 1994, less importance has been given to the quality of fluoride in a toothpaste than the maximum amount of total fluoride that it should contain. Dozens of scientific publications have been made warning of this historic mistake, but so far, they have been shown fruitless. It is a public health problem that affects mainly underprivileged
populations, who are most vulnerable to dental caries. Conclusion: the need and urgency for a revision of the Brazilian regulation ANVISA RDC No 530 to ensure that the population receives fluoride toothpaste with a minimum concentration of soluble
fluoride with anticaries potential is the reason of this review and the formal position of the Brazilian Academy of Dentistry (AcBO).