When it comes to your child’s dental health, drilling and filling cavities is a process most parents and kids want to avoid. Now there’s an alternative that many parents and dentists are opting for to treat tooth decay in kids — Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF). As with any emerging type of treatment, there are questions and concerns about silver diamine fluoride. Understanding more about this non-invasive intervention is the first step to evaluating whether it’s right for your child’s teeth.
Are There Risks or Side Effects to SDF?
One of the greatest benefits of silver diamine fluoride treatment is that it carries very little risks and is generally free of side effects. The most prominent risk is a completely aesthetic one — blackening of the treated teeth. When the silver in SDF is applied to a tooth, it oxidizes and leaves a black stain on the damaged cavity portion of the tooth (it does not stain healthy enamel).
When and Why Do Dentists Recommend SDF?
In particular, SDF is a promising cavity treatment for children. Because their teeth aren’t yet permanent, the aesthetic issue of staining is far outweighed by the benefits of getting cavities treated. Ultimately, the only way to determine whether silver diamine fluoride treatment is right for your child is to ask your pediatric dentist about it.
