Caries management with fluoride varnish of children in U.S.

Fluoride varnish prolongs the contact time between fluoride and tooth surface to reduce caries. Its active ingredient is usually 5% sodium fluoride, or 22,600 ppm fluoride. Its use as an "off-label" approved drug for caries control in the United States has been on the rise, along with increasing evidence of its efficacy in case-based studies. It sets rapidly on teeth, and it is simple, quick and easy to apply. Side effects or complications of its use are rare. Gagging and swallowing are unusual. The risk of dental fluorosis is minimal. And it can be safely used in young children.