Is silver diamine fluoride effective in reducing dentin hypersensitivity? A systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Dental Therapeutics

Background:

• Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) affects adults, necessitating effective desensitizing agents.
• Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a potential treatment for DH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the clinical efficacy and safety of SDF for tooth desensitization in adults.
• To assess sensitivity reduction and gum damage associated with SDF treatment.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of randomized clinical trials from 12 databases.
• Inclusion criteria: adult volunteers with DH treated with SDF.
• Exclusion criteria: tooth whitening products, other desensitizers, analgesic/anti-inflammatory medication use. Risk of bias assessed using RoB 2, evidence certainty using GRADE.

Main Results:

• Three studies were included. SDF groups showed significantly lower pain scores compared to short-term controls (24h-7 days).
• No statistical difference was found between SDF alone and SDF with CO2 laser treatment.
• No adverse effects like inflammation or gingival staining were reported. All studies had a high risk of bias, with very low certainty of evidence.

Conclusions:

• SDF appears to be a safe and effective short-term desensitizer for adults.
• Further research with longer evaluation periods is necessary to confirm long-term efficacy and safety.