Silver Diamine Fluoride

Silver fluoride and Tooth Dental

Silver fluoride is a type of chemical compound that contains both silver and fluoride ions. It is represented by the chemical formula AgF and appears as a white crystalline solid that is easily soluble in water.

The dental industry primarily uses silver fluoride as a preventive agent against cavities. The compound is applied as a topical solution or gel to the surface of the tooth, where it reacts with the hydroxyapatite in the tooth enamel to form a protective layer of silver phosphate. This layer is highly resistant to acid attacks by bacteria present in the mouth, thus preventing the formation of cavities.

It is important to note that silver fluoride can be toxic if ingested in large amounts or inhaled as a dust. Thus, proper safety measures must be taken when handling the compound.

Aside from its primary use in cavity prevention, silver fluoride also offers other benefits such as strengthening the structure of the tooth enamel by forming a layer of silver phosphate. This can help to prevent the development of new cavities and alleviate tooth sensitivity. Additionally, silver fluoride can promote remineralization, a process where minerals such as calcium and phosphate are incorporated into the tooth structure, thus restoring its strength and integrity. The compound also has antimicrobial properties that help to prevent the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms in the mouth, reducing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

It is crucial to emphasize that the use of silver fluoride should be supervised by a dental professional. Additionally, appropriate safety precautions must be observed when handling the compound to avoid potential risks.

Pros

Quick, easy and painless
Non invasive
Remineralises your natural tooth structure
Relieves sensitivity
Avoid or delay more invasive restorations

Cons

Permanently stains decay black
20% of cavities continue to grow
Not an option for deep cavities
This is a treatment for cavities, not a cure

Silver Fluoride
treated molar

Silver Fluoride treated interproximal lesion

Uh Oh! Need an Emergency Dentist in Ashgrove?

Looking for an emergency dentist in Ashgrove? Please read on. In any case of dental emergency it is very important to contact the dentist as soon as possible to try and find out if the situation requires immediate treatment or if it can wait until morning. An emergency trip to the dentist can be required for many reasons including an aching tooth, trauma, a broken tooth or a facial swelling.

In cases of dental trauma, such as if you’ve tripped over and broken your front tooth, treatment is recommended within 60 minutes in case the nerve of the tooth has been exposed. Immediate dental treatment is also needed for teeth that have been pushed out of position, into the gums or knocked out completely. This is a true emergency and immediate treatment can help save your tooth or teeth.

A chipped or broken tooth is often a pain, like when you bite down on a fork by mistake or crunch on a nut and something extra crunchy comes out with it. This tooth or teeth will often need attention within a couple of days if its painful, or within a week if its not painful. Left untreated you can have food packing into the broken area, decay and gum swelling can develop. We can usually fix your tooth right up and prevent all these problems.

An aching tooth can be absolutely awful. It can keep you awake at night, making you tired and just feeling dreadful. Often aching teeth are the result of decay making its way deep into the tooth close to the nerve. This happens over time, and left unchecked can cause nerve pain or even an infection or abscess. The best thing to do is to get your tooth looked at by the dentist within a couple of days. It can be just a filling in some cases, but is usually something more involved and the sooner you get to it the easier it is to fix. To prevent these kinds of aches regular checks and cleans help to prevent cavities or treat them nice and early so its simple and easy.

A facial swelling in the lower face is often an abscess or infection of the gums or tooth that has spread to the cheek. This infection needs to be addressed quickly as the infection can spread beyond the cheeks below the chin and can become life threatening. Your dentist may need to drain the swelling, prescribe antibiotics, remove a tooth or start a root canal treatment to save the tooth.

In cases of dental emergency, don’t wait. Get in contact with the dentist as soon as possible to find out what you need to do. If you need an emergency dentist in Brisbane please click here to book online or call 3366 1737. 

Emergency Ashgrove Dental Studio
Emergency Dentist in Ashgrove (source: @ibrahimboran via Unsplash)