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Objectives: Detection and longitudinal assessment of early root caries has been a problem in clinical dentistry owing to the fact that dentine caries unlike enamel caries does not present as a white spot. Dyes have been used to aid the visualisation of root caries, however most of these dye either stain both the sound and carious tissue or are not clinically approved for intra-oral use. The present study investigated the combined use of a dye (Tolonium Chloride 5mg/ml, currently used for oral cancer detection) and quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) for visualisation and quantification of root caries. QLF measures the percentage loss in fluorescence radiance of carious tooth tissue with respect to surrounding sound tissue, and relates it to the amount of mineral lost during demineralisation. Methods: Incipient caries lesions were created on planed root portions of 15 human premolar teeth by 3-day demineralisation in acidic buffer solution. Each lesion was then stained intermittently with the dye (5 seconds on each occasion) for a period of 30 seconds. Following each staining episode, the tooth was rinsed with de-ionised distilled water, the lesion mopped with a cottonwool roll and the fluorescence image of the lesion acquired with QLF. Following this, the images were analysed with QLF software to calculate the integrated fluorescence loss, DQ (%.mm2). Results: The dye stained only the lesion. Mean values of DQ were significantly difference (ANOVA, p<0.001) between staining intervals up to 10 seconds. Although graphically, DQ value plateaued off from 20 seconds, there was no significant difference between staining intervals from 15 seconds up to 30 seconds (5sec=44.5± 20.0, 10=61.5±24.2, 15=71.4±23.2, 20=84.4±20.9, 25=85.8±21.1, 30=86.2±20.7). Conclusion: Staining with Tolonium Chloride for 20s could aid visual detection of root caries and its quantification with QLF. |