Whether you are looking for the truth or the tooth, it seems dentistry has been in the spotlight lately. Here in Central Florida, at Dentistry for Children, we feel that compelled to cover dental stories that intersect with mainstream news. Recently we have been surprised at the amount of stories in newspapers and on the Internet, about the tooth, the truth, and teeth.
Tooth and Teeth in the News: Rumors Fly
We scour the internet and the professional dentistry Journals to bring you the most current information on “the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth,” as we see it.
To Floss Or Not To Floss. That Is The Question.
We think that is especially important when children are involved.
The New York Times reported July 11, 2016, “A Cavity-Fighting Liquid Lets Kids Avoid Dentists’ Drills.” Internet readers might have gotten a double whammy of this toothy topic. The Mar. 1, 2005 NYT article, cleverly named, “Dentistry Without the Drill,” came up on search in Google and due to the new article, readers might think this was also new information, as they neglected to notice the 2005 date.
As a result of it, we fear many parents might have gotten the impression that regular, traditional dentistry was being abandoned in an effort to just “paint away the cavities.”
So, let’s look at a few facts, and squelch any strange rumors caused by such articles because many subsequent newspapers and magazines picked up the topic, with varying degrees of ethics.
1. The Tooth in the Paint: In Japan, the liquid, called S.D.F. or Silver Diamine Fluoride, has been available for many years. Yes, this liquid can be painted on a tooth, and it can prevent the progress of some cavities.
2. Tooth and Consequences: In the United States, S.D.F. has only been approved for about a year. Its primary use is actually as a tooth desensitizer for adult dental patients over 21 years old.
3. The Tooth In Action: Dentists using it for cavity prevention are utilizing it outside of this prescribed use. This practice is called using it off-label.
4. It is true that it is a procedure for which no drilling or injection is needed. In the U.S.A., the only F.D.A. authorized version of the solution is called by the brand name, “Advantage Arrest.” Although it is cheaper, S.D.F will have to be repeated as a treatment.
What Does the American Dental Association Say?
Guilty As Charged, But Tell The Tooth And The Truth.
The article in NY Times focused on using the substance with children. However, according to the ADA, it has been “shown to be effective in management of root caries in the elderly.” The ADA adds, “It likely has additional applicability as an interim approach for managing problematic caries in individuals currently unable to tolerate more involved dental treatment.
More importantly, the ADA revealed, “SDF is not a complete solution to caries risk.” Part of the reason has already been mentioned above. “Single application has been reported to be insufficient for sustained benefit.”
The Downsides to Advantage Arrest
When a cure seems too good to be true, it might just be that! Silver Diamine Fluoride turns slight brown to black and the staining is very unappealing. Likewise, it has been said to have a terrible taste. At the present time it can also be an irritant to gingival (gum) and mucosal tissues.
A short Internet trip to the U.S. National Institute s of Health, an online resource documenting clinical trials, proves that the use of Silver Diamine Fluoride has only had 14 studies with only 8 of them completed. This proves that there is significant room for more study.
In August, the AP decided to attack the customary healthy habit of flossing, accusing “Big Floss,” the dental floss industry of false studies to sell their string. Hosted.ap.org “medical benefits of dental floss unproven.”
Almost immediately after the AP stories, the “Huffington Post” rebuked the press by saying, “A lack of good research doesn’t prove something is ineffective—just that it hasn’t been a priority for research funding.” They also stated, “Nobody’s done a study to say that using a parachute jumping out of an airplane is safer than not using a parachute.”
Good oral hygiene –and flossing—is better for your general health. But that is another story—and perhaps another blog.
The Tooth Hurts:
We Believe, Caring For Our Teeth Is Super Important.
There is one good thing about such contentious articles: news-breaking stories can raise public consciousness on an issue. They can thus help to establish and refine the truth, and perhaps the “tooth,” or the truth in the tooth treatment.
Buddha is said to have stated, “Three things cannot be hidden long: The Sun, The Moon, The Truth.” Perhaps with more research and careful study, we can add “The Tooth.” For health problems cannot be hidden long within a bad tooth, no matter how you paint it.
