The Effectiveness of Silver Diamine Fluoride and Fluoride Varnish in Arresting Caries in Young Children and Associated Oral Health-Related Quality of Life

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) with 5% fluoride varnish (FV) in treating cavitated caries in young children and to explore the association between SDF treatment and oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).

Methods: Children with active dentinal caries in primary teeth underwent treatment with 38% SDF and 5% FV at baseline and 4 months later. Treated lesions were assessed 4 and 8 months after baseline. Child-level analysis focused on classifying SDF treatment as completely successful if all of a child's treated lesions were arrested or incompletely successful if at least 1 lesion was not arrested. The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale questionnaire was completed at second and third visits. Statistical analyses included descriptive and bivariate methods. A p value ≤ 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: This pilot study enrolled 40 children with 239 caries lesions; mean age 40.2 ± 14.9 months and 45% male. Lesion arrest rates after 1 and 2 applications of SDF were 74.1% and 96.2%, respectively. Children who reportedly brushed twice daily were more likely to be in the completely successful group compared with those who brushed less (p = 0.006). Those in the completely successful group had a significantly lower mean baseline dmft score than those in the incompletely successful group (p = 0.048). No significant difference in OHRQoL was observed between the 2 groups.

Conclusions: SDF with 5% FV is an effective approach to the management of early childhood caries; more than 1 application is recommended, along with regular follow up of patients and twice daily brushing. OHRQoL was not found to be affected by the level of success of SDF treatment.