Fluoride Varnish

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

E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
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]

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

E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
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]

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Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center
Telephone: (866) 763-6481
E-mail: health@ecetta.info
Website: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.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 for young children, encouraging young children to drink water with fluoride, giving young children healthy snacks, taking care of oral health for pregnant women, and taking care of an infant’s oral health. The series is available in English and in Spanish.

• English
• Spanish

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

E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
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]

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American Dental Association, Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-2678

Telephone: (312) 440-2500
Website: http://ebd.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.

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• Executive Summary

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

Telephone: (775) 626-5008
Fax: (775) 626-9268
E-mail: info@astdd.org
Website: http://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.

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Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Oral Health
535 West Jefferson Street, Third Floor
Springfield, IL 62761

Telephone: (217) 785-4899
Secondary Telephone: (800) 547-0466
Fax: (217) 524-4201
Website: http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/prevention-wellness/oral-health
Available from the website. Document Number: DHHS .

This fact sheet for health professions provides information about oral-health-related anticipatory guidance to provide to parents of infants and children, as well as information on fluoride varnish application. It explains what fluoride and fluoride varnish are, their benefits, and what is required to apply fluoride varnish. Information on fluoride-varnish-application supplies and reimbursement, application steps, and referrals is also presented.

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

Telephone: +44 (0)1865 476 722
E-mail: cs-cochrane@wiley.com
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.

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University of Hawaii at Manoa, Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing
2528 McCarthy Mall, Webster Hall 402
Honolulu, HI 96822

Telephone: 808-956-8522
Fax: 808-956-3257
Website: http://www.nursing.hawaii.edu/
Available from the website.

These resources offers instructions for how to provide five essential oral health services (caries risk assessment, knee-to-knee oral examination, fluoride varnish application, education/anticipatory guidance, and referral for a dental home) during a well-child visit. The tool also includes steps for fluoride varnish application and photographs to help health professionals identify tooth decay in infants and young children. A fluoride-varnish-progress-note template is included.

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