When is the last time you had scientific evidence that a cheaper option was just as effective as a pricier one?
A new study that looked at two methods for protecting public schoolchildren’s teeth from cavities did just that.
New York University researchers looked at two types of tooth-decay prevention in nearly 3,000 elementary pupils.
A method that used silver diamine [dai-uh-meen] fluoride, a liquid brushed onto the surface of teeth, was as effective as dental sealants, which are more common and cost more.
One dose of either topical treatment blocked roughly 80% of cavities and kept 50% of cavities from getting worse after two years.
The federal government advocates for and funds some dental care for schoolchildren. Painful cavities — children from low-income families are twice as likely to have them as kids from wealthier families — are associated with poor academic performance.
The NYU team’s visits to schools began in 2019, as part of a cavity prevention study called CariedAway. The randomized trial compared the simple silver diamine fluoride, called SDF, with a more complex treatment that used traditional glass ionomer [eye-AH-nuh-mer] sealants and fluoride varnish.
Both are applied to the surface of teeth.
The COVID-19 pandemic paused the study and the team finally returned to the schools for follow-up visits in March 2022.
Exams of the kids’ teeth found that both methods worked well. Just one treatment blocked more than 80% of cavities and both stopped about half of their cavities from progressing.
In this case, it seems the bargain option is a true value.