Clinical evaluation of silver diamine fluoride for the prevention of dental caries in children

Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide and continues to pose a significant clinical and public health burden, particularly in regions where preventive strategies are inadequately implemented. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) has emerged as a pharmacologically active topical agent with proven antimicrobial and demineralizing properties. A prospective clinical evaluation was conducted on 110 patients recruited from private dental clinics in Surman and Sabratha. Eligible participants presented with sound teeth or early non-cavitated carious lesions at baseline. A 38.0% silver diamine fluoride solution was applied to selected teeth following a standardized clinical protocol. Clinical assessments were performed at baseline and during follow-up visits to record the incidence of new carious lesions and the arrest of existing lesions. A statistical analysis was used to summarize the data, and Chi-square and paired comparison tests were applied to assess differences in caries incidence before and after SDF application. Among the 110 evaluated cases, a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of new dental caries was observed in the Libyan patients following SDF application. The proportion of teeth remaining caries-free increased from 62.7% at baseline to 85.4% at follow-up (p<0.001). Arrest of early carious lesions was recorded in 78.2% of treated teeth. No difference was found between patients treated in Surman and Sabratha clinics. No adverse clinical effects were reported during the study period. The SDF demonstrated a significant preventive effect against dental caries in Libyan children in private dental clinic settings. The significant reduction in caries incidence supports the clinical use of SDF as an effective, safe, and economical preventive agent within Libyan dental practice.