Parental Acceptance for the Use of Silver Diamine Fluoride on Their Special Health Care-Needs Child’s Primary and Permanent Teeth

PURPOSE: The effectiveness and simplicity of the procedure and the low expense are the main advantages of silver diamine fluoride (SDF). It is useful for controlling caries in challenging patients such as those with special health care needs (SHCN). First aim of this study was to assess parents’ acceptance towards using SDF in SHCN children in their primary and permanent teeth. Second aim was to determine the factors that influence parents’ decisions toward dental treatment options. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study included the parents of SHCN children aged 12 years old and younger who were actively seen in pediatric dentistry clinic at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC) and were receiving dental treatment. A previously developed and tested questionnaire was used. The surveyors received training about the questionnaire and participants’ consent was obtained before enrolling in the survey. The statistical significance level was set at P<0.05. RESULTS: Two hundred twelve participants completed the study questionnaire. Parents had a higher acceptance of SDF use regardless of the tooth location and type when their child had a positive history of pain and/or inflammation (P=0.019). In addition, parents had higher acceptance of SDF staining in primary teeth compared to permanent teeth (P=0.006). Moreover, the acceptance of SDF staining was higher in posterior teeth compared to anterior teeth in both primary and permanent dentition (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Parental acceptance of SDF was higher for primary compared to permanent teeth and posterior compared to anterior teeth in both dentitions, as well as for those with a positive history of dental pain and/or inflammation.