Varnish Application
- Use gauze to blot the teeth dry. Varnish does not adhere well if teeth are wet.
- Apply varnish to dried teeth, starting in posterior. Apply a thin layer to all tooth surfaces.
- Apply varnish to anterior teeth last. This is the ideal order that may need to be modified if the child is active and uncooperative to ensure the high-risk anterior teeth are not missed.
- Saliva contamination after application is expected and varnish sets on contact with saliva.
ICOHP and Joanna Douglass, BDS, DDS