Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Abstract Objectives This systematic review aimed to review the safety and effectiveness of professionally applied fluorides for preventing and arresting dental caries in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). Methods Randomized controlled trials conducted in LMICs, in which professionally applied fluorides were compared with placebo/no treatment/health education only or usual care with a minimum one‐year follow‐up period, were included. Any topically applied fluoride agents such as sodium fluoride (NaF), acidulated phosphate fluoride, silver diamine fluoride (SDF), and nano silver fluoride (NSF) were included. Five databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) were searched in May 2022. Meta‐analysis was conducted using a random effect model. Results This review included 33 studies for qualitative synthesis, encompassing 16,375 children aged between 1.5 and 14 years. Nevertheless, the meta‐analysis focused on only 17 studies, involving 4067 children. Fourteen papers assessed potential adverse events, none of which was reported as major adverse events. SDF and NSF were identified as effective in arresting caries on primary teeth ( p 0.05). The certainty of the generated evidence obtained is low. Conclusion The review provides valuable insights into the use of professionally applied fluorides in LMICs and contributes to recommendations for their use. However, the limited rigorous evidence suggests the need for further research to strengthen these findings and draw more robust conclusions.
Dhanapriyanka et al. (Tue,) studied this question.