A method for preclinical diagnosis of dental caries at the white spot stage

Relevance. Improving the detection of early enamel demineralization remains an important challenge not only in dentistry but also in medicine overall. This is largely attributable to the high prevalence of dental caries worldwide and the ongoing difficulties associated with its timely diagnosis, management, and prevention. Dental caries and its complications may serve as a chronic focus of oral infection and, through systemic sensitization, contribute to the development of focal infection–related conditions.

Materials and methods. A total of 1,061 schoolchildren aged 7–18 years were examined. Early detection of enamel demineralization was performed using a newly developed diagnostic method (Patent No. 2846572, September 9, 2025). White spot lesions were identified using a diagnostic dye applied with a dental microbrush. The stained areas were subsequently evaluated to assess demineralization-related changes in dental hard tissues, allowing for the early detection of initial caries lesions across different age groups of schoolchildren.

Results. The proposed dye may be used as an alternative diagnostic agent for the early detection of dental caries and for vital enamel staining, demonstrating performance comparable to conventional methods employing a 2% aqueous methylene blue solution, the Omega caries indicator solution (Russia), Color Test No. 2 (Vladmiva, Russia), and the Sherb caries indicator (China). The diagnostic effectiveness for identifying early enamel demineralization remained consistently high.

Conclusion. The proposed method for preclinical diagnosis of dental caries at the white spot stage is distinguished by its simplicity, versatility, ease of use, and ability to provide comprehensive assessment of multiple tooth surfaces across the dental arches.

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