Senior SmileFluoride is a mineral that attracts other minerals to strengthen tooth enamel against decay. Unless you ask Dr. Thapar-Dua to avoid providing supplemental fluoride treatment, she will administer it. Dr. Thapar-Dua believes that fluoride is a great preventive dentistry practice that benefits adults and children.
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a liquid substance used to help prevent tooth cavities (or caries) from forming, growing, or spreading to other teeth.
SDF is made of:
SDF was first approved for use in Japan more than 80 years ago.
SDF was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2014 for use in the United States.
SDF is considered a class II medical device. This means that it only carries slight risks (for reference, condoms and pregnancy tests are also class II medical devices).
It’s sold in some stores for home use, but it’s most commonly and safely used in dental clinics.
Most dentists use a liquid form of SDF containing at least 38 percent of the SDF solution. It’s applied topically, meaning that it’s applied directly to the surface of your teeth.
Many dentists use the following steps:
Your dentist may also use the following to mask the areas affected by cavities:
SDF is most commonly used on areas affected by cavities. Research shows that SDF can be just as helpful when used as a preventive measure by being applied to healthy tooth surfaces.
Research also suggests that dentists don’t need to treat cavities with fillings or tooth surface modification before using SDF.
Traditionally, many dentists have used a fluoride varnish to help stop cavity development. SDF has proven to be much more successful at reducing cavity growth than varnish. SDF also requires fewer treatments over time.
There’s no set number of applications required for SDF to work. Most dentists only apply SDF once per year. Varnishes often need to be applied four or more times per year.
Few harmful or negative side effects have been found with use of SDF. SDF is widely considered by dentists to be safe, even on young children.
You shouldn’t use SDF if you have a silver allergy, oral ulcerations or canker sores, advanced gum disease, or major tooth decay that’s exposed the soft tissue of your tooth beneath the enamel. These conditions can have painful reactions with the acid or ammonia in SDF.
The only common side effect of SDF noted in hundreds of studies is black staining around the area where SDF is applied. SDF can also stain surfaces that it comes into contact with when being applied, such as clothing or nearby tissues in the mouth.
Some research recommends the use of potassium iodide along with SDF to keep staining to a minimum. This mixture may also turn black when exposed to light.
One study found that a similar treatment using nano-silver fluoride (NSF) limits SDF’s black staining. But more research needs to be done to make sure that NSF is just as effective as SDF in stopping cavities over a longer period.
NSF may need to be applied more often than SDF to have the same level of success.
No. However, we file some PPO insurances and provide discounts to senior citizens.
We accept cash, checks, Visa, and MasterCard.
We need the house/facility to have a ramp and the residents will need to be seen on the main floor, unless they have an elevator or chair lift to help take equipment beyond the main floor.
No, we also see handicapped, disabled and special needs residents of all ages, that includes children and young adults. We cater to individuals who are bound to their home and can not make it to a dental office without too many complications for caregivers and transportation.
Usually need a good amount of space with a bathroom in the room or close by. At facilities, we set up our dental office in a Doctor’s suite or Wellness Center and at times, and unoccupied room in the facility or its Beauty Salon.
We usually visit 2 to 3 facilities in a day. We try to schedule them close to each other. We always work the furthest facility out and work our way back to our hub office, which is in Clarksburg.