الفهرس 
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Abstract
The present study aimed at comparing and evaluating the effect of NSF and FV as anticariogenic agents on primary teeth in vitro by assessing surface microhardness and lesion depth by polarized light microscope of the treated specimens following pH cycling.
Forty eight human sound primary molars were painted with acid resistant nail varnish leaving a 4×4 square of exposed enamel. Using a computer generated list of random numbers, teeth were allocated into one of two groups, group I (NSF) or group II (FV). Each tooth was then longitudinally sectioned in a buccolingual direction into 2 equal halves, where one half was treated with the specific agent (NSF or FV) while the other half remained untreated and served as negative control. Each half was considered as a specimen (96 specimens). The NSF group (n=48) was subdivided into subgroup Ia treated with NSF and subgroup Ib served as negative control, the FV group (n=48) was subdivided into subgroup IIa treated with FV and subgroup IIb served as negative control.
All specimens were subjected to pH cycling at 37o C for 7 days, each pH cycle contained 3 hours of demineralization followed by 21 hours of remineralization. After the completion of pH cycling half the specimens of each group were assessed using vicker’s microhardness device while the other half were assessed using polarized light microscope to measure lesion depth and evaluate the specimens histologically.
Data were statistically analyzed and the results revealed that groups Ia (NSF) and IIa (FV) showed statistically significant higher SMH values than their negative controls (p<0.001in both groups).
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There was no statistically significant difference between SMH values of group Ia and group IIa (P=0.73). There was no statistically significant difference between group I and group II in the percent difference in SMH (P= 0.81).
Groups Ia (NSF), IIa (FV) had statistically significant lower lesion depth values than their negative controls (p<0.001in both groups).
There was no statistically significant difference in the lesion depth values of group Ia and group IIa (P=0.61). There was no statistically significant difference between group I and group II in the percent difference of lesion depth (P= 0.86).
It was concluded that NSF and FV were comparable in controlling enamel demineralization and decreasing carious lesion depth.
Based on the results of the present study, it is recommended to clinically evaluate the effectiveness of NSF as a caries preventive material.