CDA Essentials 2017 • Volume 4 • Issue 6

21 Issue 6 | 2017 | N ews and E vents Fluoride Varnishes Fluoride Varnishes for Dental Health: A Review of the Clinical Effectiveness, Cost-effectiveness and Guidelines discusses the use of fluoride varnishes to prevent and reverse dental caries in both pediatric and adult patients. “The results of the included studies generally support the use of professionally applied topical fluoride varnish for the prevention and reversal of dental caries, remineralization of WSL [white spot lesion] and dental caries lesions, and decrease of dentin sensitivity,” the report says. According to the CADTH review, routine use of fluoride varnish is recommended in children, and especially high- risk children. It is also recommended for adults with root caries to receive fluoride varnish treatment. However, “the effectiveness of fluoride varnish was not established for the remineralization of MIH [molar incisor hypomineralization] in young children or for the prevention of new dental caries in adults with dry mouth.” All studies included in the report address the application of fluoride varnish in dental offices; the application of varnish in other settings (medical offices, schools, community settings, etc.) without the supervision of a dentist was not investigated. Additionally, many studies did not specify whether participants benefited from city water fluoridation. a CADTHCorner In 2016, the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) published two Rapid Response reports to help dentists and their dental teams make informed clinical decisions. Dental Sealants and Preventive Resins in Children Dental Sealants and Preventive Resins for Caries Prevention: A Review of the Clinical Effectiveness, Cost-effectiveness and Guidelines focuses on the use of sealants and preventive resins for different permanent tooth groups in children. “Evidence supporting the clinical effectiveness of dental sealants for caries prevention on occlusal surfaces of permanent teeth in children and adolescents has been consistently demonstrated across three systematic reviews,” the report says. “The durability of caries prevention is also robust with a reduced risk of caries development compared to no sealant use at up to 9 years of follow-up.” Most of the studies included in the CADTH report discuss the application of sealants on the occlusal surfaces of permanent first molars. No evidence was found that sealants and resins prevent tooth decay in bicuspids. While the report does not suggest optimal timing for sealant application, “it would be reasonable to postulate that sealant application should be done as early as possible after tooth eruption, prior to the onset of decay.” The CADTH Rapid Response Service provides health care providers and other decision-makers with up-to-date evidence tailored to meet their specific requirements. This service handles questions related to prescription drugs, diagnostic tests, and surgical/medical/dental devices and procedures. Anyone from a Canadian health ministry, health authority, hospital, or federally or regionally administered health care program in a contributing jurisdiction can make a request for a Rapid Response report. Read the report at cadth.ca/dental-sealants-and- preventive-resins-caries-prevention-review- clinical-effectiveness-cost-0 Read the report at cadth.ca/fluoride-varnishes- dental-health-review-clinical-effectiveness-cost- effectiveness-and-guidelines