Abstract:
Fluoride is a useful agent used in preventive dentistry to prevent dental caries. The use of fluoride by oral application or by fluoride containing tooth-cleansing products increases the chance of cells in oral cavity to expose to fluoride. In this study, we have the purposes to clarify the effects of fluoride in various concentration on cell proliferation, protein synthesis, and secretion of enzyme related to extracellular matrix degradation in human gingival fibroblasts. From our study, we found that fluoride at 50 an 100 ppm had significant cytotoxic effect (one-way ANOVA, p = 0.05). Fluoride significantly increased proliferation rate at 1 and 10 ppm (one-way ANOVA, p = 0.05). To assess the influence of fluoride on protein synthesis, the synthesis of fibronectin and type I collagen was investigated. We found that fluoride at 0.1, 1, and 10 ppm increased fibronectin synthesis but collagen synthesis was increased only at 0.1 ppm. In addition, fluoride decreased the secretion of MMP-1 at 10 ppm and MMP-3 at 1 and 10 ppm. In contrast, MMP-2 secretion was not affected by fluoride. These observation suggest that fluoride at 0.1, 1, and 10 ppm may have the role in new connective tissue formation especially in tissue repair and decreasing gingival tissue destruction.