Revitalising Silver Nitrate for Caries Management

Sherry Shiqian Gao, Irene Shuping Zhao, Steve Duffin, Duangporn Duangthip, Edward Chin Man Lo and Chun Hung Chu
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Sherry Shiqian Gao: Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Irene Shuping Zhao: Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Steve Duffin: General Dentist, Shoreview Dental, LLC, Keizer, 97303 OR, USA
Duangporn Duangthip: Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Edward Chin Man Lo: Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Chun Hung Chu: Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Silver nitrate has been adopted for medical use as a disinfectant for eye disease and burned wounds. In dentistry, it is an active ingredient of Howe’s solution used to prevent and arrest dental caries. While medical use of silver nitrate as a disinfectant became subsidiary with the discovery of antibiotics, its use in caries treatment also diminished with the use of fluoride in caries prevention. Since then, fluoride agents, particularly sodium fluoride, have gained popularity in caries prevention. However, caries is an infection caused by cariogenic bacteria, which demineralise enamel and dentine. Caries can progress and cause pulpal infection, but its progression can be halted through remineralisation. Sodium fluoride promotes remineralisation and silver nitrate has a profound antimicrobial effect. Hence, silver nitrate solution has been reintroduced for use with sodium fluoride varnish to arrest caries as a medical model strategy of caries management. Although the treatment permanently stains caries lesions black, this treatment protocol is simple, painless, non-invasive, and low-cost. It is well accepted by many clinicians and patients and therefore appears to be a promising strategy for caries control, particularly for young children, the elderly, and patients with severe caries risk or special needs.

Keywords: silver nitrate; sodium fluoride; caries; early childhood caries; silver diamine fluoride (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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