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Fluoride Varnish

Fluoride Varnish

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OHRC Publications

This section contains OHRC-produced materials.


Details

Barzel R, Holt K, eds. 2020. Fluoride varnish and silver diamine fluoride: A resource guide. Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, 15 pp

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Georgetown University Washington, DC 20057

E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This resource guide is designed to help health professionals, program administrators, educators, and others understand the benefits and drawbacks of fluoride varnish and silver diamine fluoride. The guide provides an annotated list of resources on the use and application of fluoride varnish and silver diamine fluoride, including materials on data and surveillance, professional education and training, and public education. Descriptions of and contact information for relevant organizations are also included. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]


Details

Barzel R, Holt K, with the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors' Fluorides Committee. 2010. Fluoride varnish: An effective tool for preventing dental caries. Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, 4 pp

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Georgetown University Washington, DC 20057

E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This review provides information about the effectiveness and safety of fluoride varnishes in preventing dental caries in children and adolescents and examines factors potentially modifying their effect. The review presents a summary of findings, background, objectives, methods, results, and a discussion. Implications for practice are presented. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]


Details

Holt K, Barzel R. 2023. Fluoride varnish for adults: Q&A. Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, 1 p

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Georgetown University Washington, DC 20057

E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This handout provides information for adults, including pregnant women, about how fluoride varnish can make their teeth more resistant to tooth decay. The handout explains what fluoride varnish is and discusses its safety. It also addresses things to avoid after it is applied to teeth, how long it lasts, how often it should be applied, and whether it is covered by dental insurance. The sheet is written in simple language and is available English and in Spanish. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]


Details

National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety. 2016-. Healthy habits for happy smiles. Washington, DC: National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety, 42 items

HeadStart.gov
Telephone: (866) 763-6481
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://headstart.gov
Available from the website.

This series of handouts for pregnant women and parents of infants and young children provides simple tips on nutrition and oral health issues. Topics include brushing a young child’s teeth, choosing healthy drinks, encouraging children to drink water with fluoride, giving children healthy snacks, taking care of oral health for pregnant women, and taking care of an infant’s oral health. The series is written in simple language and is available in English and in Spanish.


Details

Tinanoff N, Lowe E, Holt K, Goodman H. 2010. Maryland's Mouths Matter: Fluoride varnish and oral health screening programs for kids—Training for EPSDT medical providers in Maryland. Washington, DC: National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center; Baltimore, MD: Maryland Department of Health, Office of Oral Health, 1 v

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Georgetown University Washington, DC 20057

E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This curriculum is designed to provide Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment non-oral-health professionals in Maryland with knowledge and skills to reduce the incidence of dental caries among children ages 3 and under and to help establish a dental home. The four modules provide information on the role of non-oral-health professionals in children’s oral health and describe the dental caries process and how to conduct a dental caries risk assessment. The modules also address anticipatory guidance, fluoride varnish application, and referral to a dentist. [Funded in part by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

     


OHRC Library

This section contains recent materials, not including OHRC-produced materials.


Details

ADA Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry. 2013. Topical fluoride for caries prevention: Full report of the updated clinical recommendations and supporting systematic review—A report of the Council on Scientific Affairs. Chicago, IL: ADA Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry, 118 pp

American Dental Association
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-2678

Telephone: (312) 440-2500
Fax: (312) 440-7494
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.ada.org
Available from the website.

This report provides evidence-based recommendations for the use of professionally applied topical fluorides to prevent dental caries. The report addresses the impact of topical fluoride vs. no topical fluoride on new and early carious lesions; which topical fluoride was most effective in preventing, arresting, or reversing dental caries; and whether an oral prophylaxis before application improved fluoride uptake. The report also describes the systematic review of the literature, methodologies used to develop the clinical recommendations, limitations related to the evidence and review, and future research needs. An executive summary is also available.


Details

Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, Fluorides Committee. 2016. Fluoride varnish: An evidence-based approach—Research brief. [Reno, NV]: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, 19 pp

Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors
3858 Cashill Boulevard
Reno, NV 89509

Telephone: (775) 626-5008
Fax: (775) 626-9268
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://www.astdd.org
Available from the website.

This brief presents information to help health professionals design, implement, and evaluate community-based programs that apply fluoride varnish. Topics include a definition of fluoride varnish and how it prevents tooth decay; the characteristics, effectiveness, and safety of fluoride varnish; and recommendations for using fluoride varnish. The brief also provides tips for selecting cost-effective community and school dental-caries-prevention programs.


Details

Kashbour W, Gupta P, Worthington HV, Boyers D. 2020. Pit and fissure sealants versus fluoride varnishes for preventing dental decay in the permanent teeth of children and adolescents. West Sussex, United Kingdom: Cochrane Library, 77 pp

Cochrane Library
Wiley The Atrium, Southern Gate Chichester
West Sussex, United Kingdom P019 8SQ UK

Telephone: +44 (0)1865 476 722
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/
Available from the website.

This review evaluates the relative effectiveness of dental sealants compared with fluoride varnishes (FVs) or sealants together with FVs compared with FVs alone for preventing dental caries in the occlusal surfaces of permanent teeth of children and adolescents. The review is an update of one first published in 2006 and last updated in 2010. It provides background, objectives, methods, results, and a discussion.


Details

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Primary Care and Health Access, Office of Oral Health. 2022. Fluoride varnish training manual for Massachusetts health care professionals. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Primary Care and Health Access, Office of Oral Health, 12 pp

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Oral Health
250 Washington Street, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02108

Telephone: (617) 624-6060
Secondary Telephone: (617) 624-5992
Fax: (617) 624-6062
Website: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-oral-health
Available from the website.

This manual is designed to help non-oral-health professionals implement fluoride-varnish application for infants, children, and adolescents ages 6 months to 21 years who are enrolled in Massachusetts’ Medicaid program. The manual includes instructions on how to complete the online Smiles for Life training, which is required for health professionals to apply fluoride varnish for this population. It also discusses how to begin using fluoride varnish in a practice as well as how to keep fluoride varnish notes and how to bill for fluoride varnish application. Basic information about fluoride varnish application and information to share with parents and other caregivers is included.


Details

Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy. 2023. Protecting children from cavities: The case for allowing more providers to apply fluoride varnish. Albany, NY: Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, 4 pp

Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy
150 State Street, Fourth Floor
Albany, NY 12207

Telephone: (518) 463-1896
Fax: (518) 463-3364
Website: http://www.scaany.org
Available from the website.

This brief discusses reasons for allowing medical assistants, parents, and others in New York to apply fluoride varnish (FV) to children’s teeth. It presents the problem and background information and discusses why applying FV is an underused strategy for preventing tooth decay among children in the state. It also shares opportunities for increasing the number of children in New York who receive FV applications. A proposal for promoting FV use in New York is included.


Details

Wilson K. 2024. Minimally-invasive care: Policy opportunities to improve dental care access and affordability. Boston, MA: Community Catalyst, Dental Access Project, 6 pp

Community Catalyst, Dental Access Project
30 Winter Street, 10th Floor
Boston, MA 02108

Telephone: (617) 338-6035
Fax: (617) 451-5838
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://communitycatalyst.org/work/projects/dental-access-project/
Available from the website.

This brief provides an overview of state-level policies that can support community-level actions to help ensure that communities have access to comprehensive oral health care, as well as federal policies that support the availability of minimally invasive care (MIC). State-level policy considerations discussed include maximizing Medicaid coverage for MIC (coverage of fluoride treatments, reimbursement for teledentistry, and risk management and individualized care); improving private coverage of MIC; and workforce considerations. Federal-level policy considerations discussed include mandatory Medicaid adult benefits, federal standardization of essential health benefits, and comprehensive Medicare dental benefits.

     

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