One of my favorite Instagram accounts, @dinosaurdracula, posts stories and reels about junk food and sodas from the 1980s. Scrolling it is like reliving my childhood every day. Seeing the old vintage packaging and products makes me think of when life was simpler.
Not everything was simpler back then, though. Recently, he posted a Cherry Coke from the mid-’80s. It came in a classic glass bottle, and I remembered how inconvenient those were! They were heavy and fragile, and if you didn’t have a bottle opener, you were out of luck. Of course, we now get everything in recyclable plastic bottles that are much easier. Great products get even better when they become more convenient. Advantage Arrest SDF gel is proving that theory with its new gel form in unit dose ampules.
SDF has been a huge win for dentistry over the past decade. Its growth as a product in the prevention field is a testament to how revolutionary it is. It arrests decay, relieves sensitivity, and prevents biofilm adhesion to suspect teeth. Until recently, it only came in a 5 ml liquid bottle from Elevate Dental. That liquid doesn’t always stay where you want it, and it comes with the potential for cross-contamination and infection control issues.
Related reading: Using sealants and SDF in your practice, successfully
Having a unit dose gel for SDF increases safety on all counts. It reduces the number of accidental drops on soft tissue, which can be damaging. In addition, SDF can stain countertops, floors, and furniture. This gel version will help minimize those accidents. The gel also handles much better than the previous liquid form. In demineralization situations, we often need to place the SDF around the cervical areas of the tooth. The gel provides for more accurate placement with less gingival damage.
A box of Advantage Arrest SDF gel comes with 30 unit dose ampules. Each ampule has .1 ml of silver diamine fluoride. That may not sound like much, but it’s enough to treat multiple sites on one patient. With SDF, a little goes a long way.
SDF is really a wonder drug when it comes to sensitive and high-caries-risk patients. We still have the issue of staining when using SDF on carious tooth structure. The gel form does not change that. SDF does not stain healthy tooth structure, so using it on sensitivity will not leave any darkness.
Advantage Arrest SDF gel is a great tool in your preventive arsenal for caries and sensitivity. The new unit-dose gel makes it easier than ever to use!
Editor's note: This article appeared in the July 2023 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
