Does the idea of going to the dentist make you cringe? The drilling sound, the syringe coming toward your mouth? If all that is terrifying, you are not alone. Many of us delay a visit to the dentist out of fear.
You will be glad to know that is a new fantastic discovery out there that can make your visit to the dentist a bit less frightening. This is the new use of Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) in treating tooth decay.
Tooth Decay
You know that a cavity is a hole in a tooth but are you aware that this is the result of a tooth decay process.
Tooth decay process starts when a bacteria that lives in your mouth comes in contact with sugary and starchy foods such as candy, soda, bread, cookies, etc. This bacteria creates an acid that begins to eat the enamel (hard surface ) of the tooth. Minerals (calcium and phosphate) present in our saliva and that fluoride found in toothpaste and water fight this bacteria that produces tooth decay.
Your mouth goes through this process of losing and regaining minerals all day long.
When you frequently consume foods and drinks that are high in sugar and starch, your tooth suffers a constant “acid attack”, and is not able to recover the lost minerals quickly enough. With time it will result in a cavity. (1)
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)
Silver diamine fluoride is a clear liquid utilized in preventing tooth cavities (or caries) from forming, growing, or spreading to other teeth caused by tooth decay.
SDF contains:
Silver (25%): Has an antibacterial effect.
Fluoride (5%): Rebuilds the minerals found in teeth.
Ammonia (8%): Helps the concentration levels for effectiveness.
Water (62%): Provides a liquid base for the other elements to mix. (2)
How Is It Used?
After keeping the moisture away from the decay affected tooth by using gauze and a suction tool. SDF is applied directly to the surface of the cavity found in the tooth. A visible improvement was observed after the treatment. The patient will no longer experience sensitivity to sweet, cold, or crunchy foods at the spot that was treated with SDF.
The only known downside of this treatment is that the affected area of the tooth turns black. For many patients, this was not a concern if the affected tooth was in the back of their mouth. Or if teeth were primary (baby) teeth in the case of children.
This simple procedure spares the patient of the traditional use of a drill and the injection into the gums to numb the area of treatment. Isn’t that a relief?
The use of SDF proves as an effective alternative in the treatment of tooth decay. Especially in children, older adults, and some other patients that have difficulty with the traditional method. (3)
Economical Benefits
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) has been used in countries like Japan for more than 80 years, but it was not approved to be used in the United States until recently by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration).
Using SDF will not only save patients from the discomfort experienced in the treatment for tooth decay. It represents a less costly solution too. While traditional treatment for cavities can cost hundreds of dollars, SDF is priced around $20-$25 per tooth.
If the use of SDF for the treatment of tooth decay could be implemented in various states, these can save millions of dollars in Medicaid payments. Only in the state of Washington, nearly 50% of children between the ages of 8 to 10 years old and 38% of 5 to 7 year old’s have had cavities. More alarming is the fact that 12% of these children go untreated for tooth decay. (4)
