Use of Silver Diamine Fluoride in New Zealand Public Dental Services: A Scoping Review on Caries Prevention and Management in Children

Abstract

Introduction Despite government-funded dental care for children in New Zealand, dental caries was the leading cause of children’s hospitalisations in 2019, with 10.4% of children aged <14 years having had teeth removed due to caries in 2023. Silver diamine fluoride, widely used internationally, presents potential preventive and therapeutic options for managing caries in children following recent approval in New Zealand.

Aim The review aims to map international literature on the use of silver diamine fluoride in preventing and managing dental caries, and to assess its contribution to achieving better and more equitable oral health outcomes for children aged 0–14 years.

Methods The scoping review adhered to the scoping review guideline from the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Six databases were searched for primary studies addressing the uses of silver diamine fluoride as a caries management tool in paediatric dentistry.

Results Of 1185 records screened, 88 studieswere included. The results were categorised into five themes: (1) effectiveness; (2) enablers; (3) adverse effects and barriers; (4) cost-effectiveness; and (5) promotion of oral health equity. The capability of silver diamine fluoride to arrest dental caries is well-supported by evidence, offering benefits such as non-invasiveness and improved quality of life for children. However, aesthetic concerns post-treatment and limited public awareness pose challenges to its broader application.

Discussion Silver diamine fluoride has the potential to significantly reduce caries rates among New Zealand children. Further research is needed to explore its role in promoting oral health equity, and tailored policies and protocols need to be developed to align with the local context.