Managing early childhood caries with silver diamine fluoride in the COVID-19 context: case report

Abstract

COVID-19 is challenging modern dentistry, obliging all professionals to look for treatment strategies that are in accordance with health and ethical standards, so as to avoid virus transmission in the dental office. In recent years, paediatric dentistry has benefited from minimally invasive techniques to prevent and treat early childhood caries. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a material that follows this philosophy because it provides professionals preventive and arresting actions for carious lesions in a practical and effective way. The present case details the management of a preschool-age patient who attended the dental office due to an emergency during the pandemic. The patient's emergency was resolved, but due to the diagnosis of severe early childhood caries, other mild and moderate carious, lesions were managed with SDF with the objective of avoiding future pulpal lesion development. The aim of this case is to raise awareness among dentists who treat children to consider the biological benefits of SDF in situations, such as the current contingency, as well as the benefits of mitigating the aesthetic effects thanks to the use of potassium iodide. CPD/Clinical Relevance: The use of silver diamine fluoride in a paediatric patient with early childhood caries is highlighted.