Silver Diamine Fluoride: Is It Right for Your Child?

Dental cavities (caries) affect many children. Cavities can sometimes be hard to fix, but an anti-cavity medicine called silver diamine fluoride (SDF) can be one useful tool to help address them.

SDF is a liquid that dental providers paint on the teeth to stop the growth of cavities. It can also be used to reduce sensitivity of the teeth. Your dentist may use a small brush or floss to paint SDF on your child’s teeth. Your dentist may recommend SDF as one part of an overall dental plan. Your dentist may recommend painting SDF on again at follow-up visits. Cavities with SDF painted on them may also be fixed later with a dental filling or silver crown.

Pros and Cons

While it’s a safe and simple approach to stopping cavities, there are both advantages and disadvantages. One of the pros of using SDF is that it can be used to easily slow cavities from getting bigger with a simple process. Because SDF is easy to paint on your child’s teeth, your dentist may use it if your child has a difficult time sitting still in the dental chair or has special health care needs. SDF can also be used as an easy treatment option for small cavities. It is also inexpensive compared to other dental treatments.

The most important con is that the parts of the teeth that have cavities or the start of cavities will permanently be stained black, as will clothes, countertops, and anything else it touches. It can also cause a temporary tattoo-like stain on the gums, lips, or skin. The taste can also be unpleasant.

SDF Won’t Work Alone

SDF works great, but it isn’t magic. Parents need to know that the cause of cavities (your child’s diet) must be addressed, such as eating sugary food and drinking sugary beverages. Also, it is important to brush your child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day.