A Dental Cleaning Helps Smiles Avoid Cavities

Posted June 20, 2022

When children don’t have a professional dental cleaning every six months, this could mean problems with their oral health, including the onset of cavities. To help protect the smile, we could recommend a professional dental cleaning at least twice a year. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about removing plaque and safeguarding smiles.

Why Kids Need a Cleaning

Over time, the particles left behind by the foods and drinks your child consumes, especially those high in sugar and starch, will be broken down by harmful oral bacteria. This leads to a rise in overall oral acidity, and could coat the teeth in a layer of plaque buildup. This buildup will harden with time into tartar, and cannot be removed with brushing and flossing along. Without treatment to remove the plaque and tartar, this could weaken and erode outer enamel and make teeth more vulnerable to cavities and infections. But a visit every six months enables us to regularly remove the buildup and protect the smile!

Removing Dental Plaque

The process is a simple one and doesn’t take long to complete. After the initial exam, we will use an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual tool to break up and remove all plaque and tartar. We then polish the teeth for a smoother surface and a brighter appearance. This helps lower the risk of cavities, bad breath, and even teeth stains. We suggest this every six months, starting at around age two. During the visit, we could also offer preventive treatments to help lower the risk of cavities, such as fluoride gel to strengthen the outer enamel, or dental sealants to provide a barrier of protection for the hard-to-reach rear molars.

Preventing Buildup

While brushing and flossing cannot remove buildup, these actions can limit how much accumulates in between your six-month visits. Make sure your child brushes twice a day for at least two minutes, and that they use a fluoride toothpaste each time. Kids three and younger need a rice-sized amount, while kids over the age of three need a pea-sized amount. Flossing is also crucial every evening, as this removes what is beyond the reach of your toothbrush, and helps fight gingivitis as well. If you have any questions about our preventive visits or cleaning treatments, or if you’re ready to schedule one for your child, then contact our team today to learn more!

Do You Have Questions About Preventive Dental Care?

Our team would like to help children avoid the onset of cavities with regular appointments for checkups and dental cleanings. If you have any questions about how we help kids maintain good oral health, then contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.