Cheap cavity-fighting liquid works as well as dental sealants, study finds
A cheap cavity-fighting liquid, silver diamine fluoride (SDF), has been found to be as effective as dental sealants in preventing tooth decay, according to a new study. The research, conducted among thousands of New York City elementary schoolchildren, showed that a single treatment of either SDF or a dental sealant prevented 80% of cavities for four years. The study also found that both treatments kept 50% of existing cavities from worsening. Lead researcher Ryan Richard Ruff, an assistant professor of epidemiology and health promotion at the NYU School of Dentistry, stated that "both sealants and SDF are effective against cavities." The advantage of SDF is that it can be applied by school nurses, potentially expanding access to preventive care. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that applying sealants at school to low-income children could prevent more than 3 million cavities and save up to $300m in dental costs. The study demonstrated that SDF can prevent cavities from happening in the first place, and school nurses could play a crucial role in cavity prevention programs.
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