Efficacy of a high concentration of nano silver fluoride in preventing caries: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background To investigate the effectiveness of a novel agent containing Nano Silver Fluoride 1500 (NSF 1500) and chitosan to inactivate carious lesions in children. Material and Methods The study included eighty children. While both groups had fluoride dentifrice applied to their teeth, only the experimental group received treatment with the NSF 1500-ppm solution. The first and sixth-month interval examinations were conducted by two calibrated dentists (k = 0.85). Results The NSF 1500 group had 69.2% of their teeth with arrested decay, while the control group had 24.1%. The difference was statistically significant ( p 0.001), with a preventive fraction of 59.4%. The number needed to treat (NNT) was approximately two. The NSF 1500 formulation was more effective than toothbrushing alone with fluoridated dentifrice in preventing dental caries. Conclusions The effectiveness of NSF 1500 is determined by the size and depth of the dental cavity. Its ability to arrest caries lesions was comparable to previously tested products, NSF 400 and NSF 600. Key words: Preventive dentistry, dental caries, nanoparticles.