A dental caries management protocol that combines a single application of 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) with comprehensive oral health education can decrease the number of preventative dental hospitalizations, according to research published in the International Dental Journal.
Researchers led by Dr. Rana Yawary of Dental Health Services Victoria in Australia compared the results of the SDF protocol with referral for dental treatment under dental general anesthesia in a study involving high-risk children ages 2-10 from two public dental agencies in the area. Follow-up examinations at six months showed that 78% of caries were subsequently arrested among the group of children who received the protocol.
There was also an 88% reduction in referrals for dental treatment under dental general anesthesia. What's more, the patients who received the intervention showed a significant improvement (p < 0.001) in Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale scores.
"The use of SDF has important implications in paediatric dentistry and the provision of minimally invasive preventive care in the community dental agencies, outreach services, and school dental programmes," the authors concluded.
