Key TakeawaysNew research shows silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is as effective as dental sealants at stopping tooth decay.SDF works just as well but is cheaper and easier to apply than dental sealants.Dental sealants last a couple of years, while SDF needs to be administered twice a year.

Key Takeaways

New research shows silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is as effective as dental sealants at stopping tooth decay.SDF works just as well but is cheaper and easier to apply than dental sealants.Dental sealants last a couple of years, while SDF needs to be administered twice a year.

According to a recent school-based study, a dental treatment called silver diaminefluoride(SDF) is just as effective as traditionalsealantsat preventing the spread of cavities. And if that wasn’t enough to smile about, SDF is also easier to use and cheaper than sealants.

For the study, researchers applied either a 38% SDF solution or therapeutic dental sealants to over 4,000 low-income minority children in a New York school setting. The results showed that SDF was just as effective as traditional sealants at preventing the spread of cavities in kids—a finding that the researchers say will transfer to adult populations.

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What Is Silver Diamine Fluoride?

The whole process is much simpler than traditional resin dental sealants, which can be time-consuming and technique-sensitive.

“In our practice, we use SDF on patients with active decay,” Kila Wells, a registered dental hygienist in California, told Verywell. “However, it isn’t as effective when used on deep decay. We especially use it a lot on our elderly population.”

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Is SDF Better than Traditional Sealants for Adults?

While SDF is cheaper and faster than dental sealants, there are some key differences between the two, including what they do and how long they last.

The main difference is that SDF is used to stop tooth decay that’s already started (usually, the term “arrest” is used). Dental sealants are routinely used to prevent cavities from forming in the first place.

A potential downside of SDF is that it needs to be applied at least twice a year to be effective at halting the progression of existing tooth decay.

“It is recommended that the application of SDF be applied on a biannual basis, while the application of dental sealants can often last for several years before needing to be reapplied,” said Rodriguez.

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Why Preventing Cavities Matters

Treating existing cavities and preventing more from developing is important because untreated caries can have negative health effects:

Since many children and adults are unable to get routine dental care, public health programs that administer SDF to people with signs of tooth decay can be a game-changer for improving quality of life and overall health and wellness.

Fluoride is one of the best ways to prevent cavities because it protects the enamel on the tooth surface from the acids in food. That’s why you’ll see many public health initiatives to increase the amount of fluoride in our daily lives, including community water fluoridation programs and school-based dental care programs to administer fluoride directly, which is important when families have barriers to visiting a dentist.

According to Niederman, fluoride comes in many forms with different efficacies:

Whether SDF or sealants are right for you or your family depends on your overall health and dental care needs. If you’re not sure, it’s best to ask your dentist or hygienist for advice. If you don’t have access to regular dental care, check with your state department of public health to find out where you can get low-cost or even free dental care.

What This Means For YouThe use of either SDF or dental sealants depends on your dental needs and the overall health of your teeth. Talk with your dentist or hygienist about which treatment will help you take care of your smile best.

What This Means For You

The use of either SDF or dental sealants depends on your dental needs and the overall health of your teeth. Talk with your dentist or hygienist about which treatment will help you take care of your smile best.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ruff RR, Barry Godín TJ, Niederman R.Noninferiority of silver diamine fluoride vs sealants for reducing dental caries prevalence and oncidence: a randomized clinical trial.JAMA Pediatr. 2024;178(4):354-361. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6770American Dental Association.Silver diamine fluoride.RDH Magazine.Is silver diamine fluoride the new sealant?.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Dental caries (tooth decay) in children ages 2 to 11 years.Bezamat M.An updated review on the link between oral infections and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with focus on phenomics.Front Physiol. 2022;13:1101398. doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.1101398Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Community water fluoridation.Medjedovic E, Medjedovic S, Deljo D, Sukalo A.Impact of fluoride on dental health quality.Mater Sociomed. 2015;27(6):395-398. doi:10.5455/msm.2015.27.395-398

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ruff RR, Barry Godín TJ, Niederman R.Noninferiority of silver diamine fluoride vs sealants for reducing dental caries prevalence and oncidence: a randomized clinical trial.JAMA Pediatr. 2024;178(4):354-361. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6770American Dental Association.Silver diamine fluoride.RDH Magazine.Is silver diamine fluoride the new sealant?.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Dental caries (tooth decay) in children ages 2 to 11 years.Bezamat M.An updated review on the link between oral infections and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with focus on phenomics.Front Physiol. 2022;13:1101398. doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.1101398Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Community water fluoridation.Medjedovic E, Medjedovic S, Deljo D, Sukalo A.Impact of fluoride on dental health quality.Mater Sociomed. 2015;27(6):395-398. doi:10.5455/msm.2015.27.395-398

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Ruff RR, Barry Godín TJ, Niederman R.Noninferiority of silver diamine fluoride vs sealants for reducing dental caries prevalence and oncidence: a randomized clinical trial.JAMA Pediatr. 2024;178(4):354-361. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6770American Dental Association.Silver diamine fluoride.RDH Magazine.Is silver diamine fluoride the new sealant?.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Dental caries (tooth decay) in children ages 2 to 11 years.Bezamat M.An updated review on the link between oral infections and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with focus on phenomics.Front Physiol. 2022;13:1101398. doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.1101398Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Community water fluoridation.Medjedovic E, Medjedovic S, Deljo D, Sukalo A.Impact of fluoride on dental health quality.Mater Sociomed. 2015;27(6):395-398. doi:10.5455/msm.2015.27.395-398

Ruff RR, Barry Godín TJ, Niederman R.Noninferiority of silver diamine fluoride vs sealants for reducing dental caries prevalence and oncidence: a randomized clinical trial.JAMA Pediatr. 2024;178(4):354-361. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6770

American Dental Association.Silver diamine fluoride.

RDH Magazine.Is silver diamine fluoride the new sealant?.

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.Dental caries (tooth decay) in children ages 2 to 11 years.

Bezamat M.An updated review on the link between oral infections and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with focus on phenomics.Front Physiol. 2022;13:1101398. doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.1101398

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Community water fluoridation.

Medjedovic E, Medjedovic S, Deljo D, Sukalo A.Impact of fluoride on dental health quality.Mater Sociomed. 2015;27(6):395-398. doi:10.5455/msm.2015.27.395-398

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