Dental Caries in Permanent Molars of Children Previously Treated With Silver Fluoride Gel/Sodium Fluoride Varnish in Their Primary Dentition: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction Children with more caries in the primary dentition have been observed to have greater caries risk in the permanent dentition. In a previous trial, we determined lesion arrest in primary teeth, where 38% SDF gel and 2.5% NaF varnish were applied sequentially. This follow‐up study determined the prevalence of children with any caries in untreated first permanent molars. Materials and Methods The design was a retrospective cohort. Participants were drawn from five Centros Educativos Iniciales, Puno, Peru. Examinations were conducted 19 months after the second treatment. Any caries prevalence (D 2–4 MFS > 0) and D 2–4 MFS were compared between groups. Results The exposed group was 219 children in the initial trial; the unexposed group was in the same classes but did not participate. 181/237 (76.4%) children treated at baseline were followed up; 104 unexposed children were examined. Prevalence of any caries in first permanent molars was lower in exposed children (4.4%, 95% CI 1.4, 10) compared to unexposed (66.6%, 95% CI 53.6, 77.2; p < 0.001). D 2–4 MFS in first permanent molars was lower in the exposed (median [IQR] = 0 [0, 0]) vs. unexposed (median [IQR] = 1 [0, 3]; p < 0.001). Discussion Children who received two sequential applications of SDF gel/NaF varnish at 3–4y were observed to have fewer caries in first permanent molars at 6–7 y than unexposed children.