Researchers at the University of Michigan conducted a large-scale Phase III trial testing out a liquid form of fluoride on children’s cavities. Fluoride has long been known to help prevent cavities, which is why governments in many parts in the world add small amounts of it to their drinking water supply. Many countries have approved certain fluoride-based treatments, such as silver diamine fluoride (SDF), to prevent worsening cavities. This current trial, funded in part by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is meant to help provide that evidence. Solid evidenceThe trial involved 830 children under the age of six with severe early childhood cavities.