Effect and acceptance of silver diamine fluoride treatment on dental caries in primary teeth

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) treatment has been identified as a potential solution to address the dental public health issues of untreated dental caries and insufficient access to care. The current study assessed the effectiveness of 38 percent SDF in arresting active dental caries lesions and in reducing or preventing associated dental pain and infections in young, at-risk children.

We enrolled 32 children aged 2-5 years with 118 active caries lesions in primary teeth from a community dental clinic in Oregon. After baseline examinations, carious lesions were treated with 1-2 applications of 38 percent SDF. Children were re-evaluated at 3-week and 3-month recalls to assess color and consistency changes in lesions (soft/hard). Parents were interviewed regarding symptoms of pain or infection and were surveyed regarding subjective feelings about SDF.

Of 102 lesions (16 excluded from analyses), 100 were found to be arrested at first recall and all at second recall. The duration of SDF application was not associated with arrest of decay (P = 0.68). No incidence of pain or infection of an SDF-treated tooth was recorded. Parental impression of ease of application, taste, and esthetics was favorable.

Our results suggested SDF was effective in arresting active caries lesions in primary teeth in young children and was well accepted by parents. SDF offers an easy and highly efficient nonsurgical alternative treatment to traditional restorative dental treatment in young children, and it has great potential to aid the dental public health community to address dental caries in at-risk populations.