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Fluoride Mouthrinse — ORE Part 1 MCQ

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ModerateDental Public Health & EpidemiologyFluoride MouthrinseORE Part 1

What is the recommended fluoride mouthwash concentration for patients at elevated caries risk who are advised to use a daily rinse at a different time to brushing?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: D0.05% sodium fluoride (225 ppm F)

Explanation lettering: D = shown as A · E = shown as C · A = shown as D · C = shown as E

The correct answer is A: 0.05% sodium fluoride (225 ppm F). NICE PH55 and Department of Health guidance (Delivering Better Oral Health) explicitly recommend 0.05% NaF (approximately 225–230 ppm F) for daily self-administered rinse in patients at elevated caries risk, performed at a different time to toothbrushing. This concentration provides effective caries prevention without excessive fluoride dose. Option B (0.2% NaF) is used in weekly supervised rinse programmes, not daily home rinse. Option C is subtherapeutic. Options D and E are dangerously concentrated—D approaches topical varnish strength (used only professionally) and E exceeds safe thresholds for home self-use. The question's specification of 'daily' and 'different time to brushing' discriminates this as high-risk patient counselling, confirming 0.05% as the standard UK recommendation.

Reference: NICE Public Health Guidance 55 (PH55): Oral Health – Local Authorities and Partners (context section); Department of Health, Delivering Better Oral Health – Evidence-based Toolkit for Prevention, Chapter 9: Fluoride, updated September 2025. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph55/chapter/context and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-better-oral-health-an-evidence-based-toolkit-for-prevention/chapter-9-fluoride