Sodium fluoride

• Mouthwash sugar free 0.05% (£1.94 = 250ml)
• Dental paste sugar free 0.619% (2800ppm) (£3.24 = 75ml)
• Dental paste sugar free 1.1% (5000ppm) (£5.53 = 51g)

Notes

1. Sodium fluoride mouthwash sugar free 0.05% is available to buy over-the-counter (OTC).
2. For patients who have been diagnosed with head and neck cancer or undertaken a course of radiotherapy, and who require high strength fluoride toothpaste as part of the cancer pathway, sodium fluoride dental paste sugar free 1.1% (5000ppm) may be prescribed on a three-monthly basis by their NHS dentist or GP on the advice of the maxillofacial / restorative dental team.
3. The responsibility for prescribing sodium fluoride for the prevention of dental caries in all other cases should remain with the initiating dentist, who can examine and assess the patient and review the need for ongoing treatment at appropriate intervals.
4. The Department of Health has issued guidance, Delivering Better Oral Health to support dental teams in improving their patient’s oral and general health. This indicates that oral healthcare / dental professionals should assess patients’ dental caries risk and support them to manage their oral health effectively (which may include a fluoride regime). It is therefore considered that GP clinical expertise is not sufficient to examine or assess the patients need for these products, and prescribing should remain with the initiating dentist.