A systematic review was performed to evaluate the efficacy of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in controlling caries progression in children when compared with active treatments or placebos. A search for randomized clinical trials that evaluate the effectiveness of SDF for caries control in children compared to active treatments or placebos with follow-ups longer than 6 months was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, BBO, Cochrane Library, and grey literature. The risk of bias tool from the Cochrane Collaboration was used for quality assessment of the studies. The quality of the evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. Meta-analysis was performed on studies considered at low risk of bias. A total of 5,980 articles were identified. Eleven remained in the qualitative synthesis. Five studies were at “low,” 2 at “unclear,” and 4 studies at “high” risk of bias in the key domains. The studies from which the information could be extracted were included for meta-analysis. The arrestment of caries at 12 months promoted by SDF was 66% higher (95% CI 41-91%; p < 0.00001) than by other active material, but it was 154% higher (95% CI 67-85%; p < 0.00001) than by placebos. Overall, the caries arrestment was 89% higher (95% CI 49-138%; p < 0.00001) than using active materials/placebo. No heterogeneity was detected. The evidence was graded as high quality. The use of SDF is 89% more effective in controlling/arresting caries than other treatments or placebos. The quality of the evidence was graded as high.

Background The pathway by which socioeconomic disadvantages are manifested in the occurrence of dental caries remains unclear. Aim To explore how much the association between untreated dental caries and income inequalities is related to household food insecurity (HFI). Design A population‐based study was conducted with a sample of 466 12‐year‐old students. Dental caries was evaluated by an examiner who had undergone calibration exercises. HFI was assessed using the Food Insecurity Scale validated for Brazilian Portuguese. Poisson regression models were created to determine associations between dental caries and both household income and HFI. The proportion of the income effect on dental caries explained by HFI was determined by the variation in percentages between the crude prevalence ratio (PRc) for dental caries and this measure adjusted by HFI (PRa). Results The prevalence of dental caries was higher among children from families with a per capita household income lower than US$ 71 (PR: 1.69; 95%CI: 1.15‐2.49) or from US$ 71 to US$ 142 (PR: 1.50; 95%CI: 1.04‐2.17). Moreover, 14% of the association between a low income and dental caries was explained by HFI. Conclusions Differences in the prevalence of dental caries in schoolchildren related to socioeconomic inequalities could partially be attributed to HFI in low‐income families.