What is Silver Diamine Fluoride and Is It Right For My Child?

Cavities happen. It’s an unfortunate truth that affects approximately 40% of children by the age of 5 years old. Dental caries (cavities) in children is the most common chronic health disease in children, more common than asthma.


Many parents, upon hearing that their child has a cavity on their baby teeth, ask us, “Do we really need to treat it if the tooth is going to fall out anyway?”
 

The answer is, YES. Dental decay that is left untreated on baby teeth can actually cause harm for the permanent teeth below the gums. Poor dental health that begins in infancy can have longstanding effects on a child all the way through adolescence and adulthood.


However, we understand that treating especially young children, or those with special needs is not always an ideal choice, and sometimes the treatment can be better received when the child is a bit older. Silver Diamine Fluoride is a great option in these situations. While it’s not a solution for every child with dental caries, it can be a good band-aid fix for many.


What is Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)? SDF is a liquid that is brushed directly on the cavity to stop decay. It is a painless procedure and can be a good treatment option for cavities if your child is young or has special needs, as SDF can help delay more extensive procedures such as drilling or sedation. Think of it as a band-aid solution, as it will not be a permanent solution to the cavity, but can buy the patient more time and keep the decay from worsening until the child is old enough for treatment to be more successful, or the baby tooth falls out.


Keep in mind that SDF blackens the decayed part of the tooth, leaving it discolored, and that the tooth will need to be monitored by your dentist to make sure that the cavity is not growing. But, if the cavity is on a baby tooth that will eventually fall out, or if the tooth is in the back of the mouth that’s hard to see, SDF might be a good option.


If you have questions, or would like to discuss Silver Diamine Fluoride as a treatment option for your child, please contact Anderson Pediatric Dentistry.


http://mouthmonsters.mychildrensteeth.org/what-is-silver-diamine-fluoride-sdf-and-is-it-right-for-my-child/


https://www.oralhealthgroup.com/features/early-childhood-caries-the-dental-disease-of-infants/


US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, US Public Health Service. Oral Health in America: Report of the US Surgeon General. NIH publication no. 00-213. Washington, DC: DHHS, NIDCR, USPHS; 2000.

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Anderson Pediatric Dentistry

198 Mutual Drive Anderson , SC 29621

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Phone Number (864) 760 - 1440

Monday:

7:30 am-4:30 pm

Tuesday:

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Wednesday:

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Thursday:

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Hospital Cases

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Closed

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