December 2024 | Issue No. 45

Using Silver Diamine Fluoride to Stop Tooth Decay

Welcome to Resources to Make You Smile! This monthly newsletter features information and tools Head Start staff can use to help families promote good oral health. These tips help Head Start staff support families, expectant parents, and children. The newsletter also includes a recipe for a healthy snack that children can make in a Head Start classroom or at home with their families.

Silver Diamine Fluoride 

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a colorless liquid that is applied to one or more teeth with a small brush. It can stop tooth decay or prevent it from getting worse. SDF works best on primary (baby) teeth and can be applied as soon as tooth decay is detected.

Applying SDF is easy and painless. No needles or drills needed are needed. Many oral health professionals use SDF in their practice.

Resources for Head Start Staff

Understanding Use of Silver Diamine Fluoride
Find information that Head Start staff can share with parents about how SDF works. This tip sheet is part of the Brush Up on Oral Health series and answers commonly asked questions about SDF.

Silver Diamine Fluoride Policy and Fact Summary
Read this article from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry to learn how SDF works and how it can help stop cavities from getting worse. Learn how oral health professionals use SDF to manage tooth decay.

Resources for Parents

Share these resources with parents so they can about SDF.

Using Silver Diamine Fluoride on Children’s Teeth
Share this handout with parents to help them understand when SDF can be used, how it is applied, and what a tooth with SDF looks like. This handout is part of the Healthy Habits for Healthy Smiles series.

Silver Diamine Fluoride Patient Fact Sheet
Share this fact sheet with parents so they can discover the benefits of SDF and how it can be used instead of fillings.

Cook’s Corner Recipe: Holiday Crackers

Ingredients

10 round whole wheat crackers
2 slices low-sodium cooked lunch meat, such as beef, chicken, or ham
2 slices low-fat yellow or white cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Put the crackers on a plate or platter.
2. Cut the meat into circles using a round cookie cutter.
3. Put a meat circle on each cracker.
4. Using holiday cookie cutters, cut the cheese into shapes such as trees, snowflakes, snowmen, stars, and bells.
5. Put a cheese shape on the ham on each cracker.

Makes 5 servings
Safety tip: To prevent injuries, an adult should cut the ingredients and supervise use of the cookie cutters.

Stay Connected!

Join MyPeers to connect with Head Start and early childhood colleagues around the country on this and other topics. Members of the Health, Safety, and Wellness community are currently networking, sharing, and learning from each other. Find it under "All Communities" and select the blue "Join" button.

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We Want to Hear from You!

Send your questions or comments to the National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety at [email protected] or (toll-free) 888-227-5125.

Photographs of teeth with tooth decay courtesy of Jeanette MacLean, D.D.S., Affiliated Children's Dental Specialists, Glendale, Arizona.