Silver Diamine Fluoride: What Is It?

As someone who cares about you and your family's oral hygiene, you're probably pretty familiar with what habits can help curb dental decay. You understand that regular preventive dental care and daily oral hygiene help keep teeth healthy. But you may be unfamiliar with silver diamine fluoride, a dental compound that's safe and easy to use for minor cavities.

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is an innovative material to stop tooth decay without using a drill or anesthesia. But what exactly is silver diamine fluoride, and why haven't you heard of it before? Let's go over its history, how it works, and the pros and cons of its use.

The Food and Drug Administration approved SDF for treating dentinal hypersensitivity in 2014. And in 2020, the American Dental Association recommended it as a non-restorative treatment for both permanent and primary teeth to arrest caries. Beyond its use in the U.S., it's been a popular treatment in other countries, especially Japan, for decades. It's both inexpensive and non-invasive, a great alternative to traditional dental decay treatment for many people! Children, nursing home residents, and people who have difficulty managing traditional dental treatments, for example, those with developmental disabilities or people who are extremely afraid of a drill, can all immensely benefit from SDF.