A liquid painted onto teeth in just seconds halted tooth decay in a large US trial.The liquid is silver diamine fluoride.

A liquid painted onto teeth in just seconds halted tooth decay in a large US trial.The liquid is silver diamine fluoride. A dentist applies it to a decayed tooth with a tiny sponge, and the whole process takes only a few seconds. The silver works against the bacteria that cause decay, while the fluoride strengthens the remaining tooth structure.The trial was led by the University of Michigan and New York University, with study sites in Michigan, New York, and Iowa. Researchers treated 830 children under the age of 6 who had severe tooth decay. With applications every six months, the treatment stopped the decay in more than half of the affected teeth.This matters because drilling and filling very small teeth often requires sedation or even general anesthesia, and many families cannot access that kind of care at all. Lead researcher Margherita Fontana says the treatment is both highly effective and safe, even for children as young as 1.There is one drawback that parents will notice: the treated area turns permanently black.The FDA has already cleared the liquid for treating tooth sensitivity, and the researchers say these results support approving it for stopping cavities as well.[Fontana M, Moursi A, Gonzalez-Cabezas C, et al. Efficacy of silver diamine fluoride on young children with severe early childhood caries: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Pediatrics. 2026. DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2026.2567]Science and facts💡