Parental acceptability of silver diamine fluoride: the UK and US experiences

Background

International data suggest that parents may have reservations about the use of silver diamine fluoride (SDF).

Aim

The aims of this study were to: (1) examine the acceptance of parents/carers towards the use of SDF for the management of caries in children's primary teeth in secondary care dental settings in the UK and the United States and (2) determine which factors may affect the acceptance of the use of SDF.

Design

This was a cross-sectional questionnaire of SDF acceptability, completed by parents of young children. It was validated and adapted to local populations. Data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results

Of the 113 Sheffield parents, 73% reported that they would accept SDF treatment of children's posterior teeth, with 58% reporting this for anterior teeth. Parents having less concern about posterior aesthetics had a statistically significant effect on reported acceptance of SDF (p = .013). In the Colorado sample (n = 104), 72% reported that they would accept SDF on posterior teeth, and 58% reported that they would accept SDF on anterior teeth. Concerns about aesthetics had an effect on decreasing SDF acceptance overall (p = .0065) in anterior (p = .023) and posterior teeth (p = .108).

Conclusion

The majority of parents in the two study populations accepted the treatment using SDF. However, concern about aesthetics had an influence on acceptability.