Can sodium fluoride varnish stain restorative materials?

The application of sodium fluoride varnish resulted in shade changes in three restorative materials in an in vitro study published in the Journal of Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics.

Researchers evaluated the staining potential of 5% sodium fluoride varnish on teeth restored with glass ionomer cement, resin-modified glass ionomer cement and resin composite, finding all three materials were changed to a visually perceptive level.

The researchers also tested the stain resistance of the three materials after sodium fluoride varnish application by immersing the teeth in coffee. While resin-modified glass ionomer cement showed better stain resistance than the other two materials, the difference was not statistically significant.

“The fluoride application did not significantly influence the staining potential of coffee in the restoratives tested,” the researchers said in the study.

Read more: Journal of Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics

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