| Silver Diamine Fluoride for Caries Arrest | Fluoride Varnish |
|---|---|
| Apply to caries-affected surfaces (pre-cavitated and cavitated lesions) | Apply to all tooth surfaces |
| Decelerates caries progression and hardens lesions | Arrests pre-cavitated lesions and prevents cavities |
| Contains silver, turns lesions black permanently | No tooth staining |
| Re-apply every 6 months. More frequent application with worse caries activity | Re-apply every 6 months. |
| Metallic / unpleasant taste | Comes in tasty flavors, though texture may be unpleasant |
| Emerging evidence indicates that applying SDF to active caries may help prevent new lesions |