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Preventing kids from being put under, or sedated, has become a priority in the dental world. The authors of a recent article in the journal Pediatrics wrote, an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 pediatric dental sedations are performed annually in the U.S., and they highlighted the case of a 4-year-old boy who died after sedation in his dentist’s office.
But they noted it’s difficult to track adverse events or deaths because there’s no mandated reporting. The article’s authors joined an expanding group of dental experts, including the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, who say a treatment that combines silver and fluoride can be effective in appropriate cases.
The formula, called silver diammine fluoride, or SDF, was cleared by the FDA last year for reducing sensitivities in teeth, but its so-called off-label use for stopping cavities is now its main use. The treatment is much cheaper than drilling, typically about $30 per visit.
Some state Medicaid plans and an increasing number of private insurance providers are now covering it. But a lot of questions remain, including why SDF works only about 80 percent of the time.
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