Dental Sealants Provide Strong Smile Protection
Even if your children brush and floss daily, they could have trouble reaching or cleaning the molars. Which makes this portion of the smile more vulnerable to tooth decay. But to help keep them safe and strong, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist could provide dental sealants.
How Cavities Develop in a Child’s Tooth
Each of your child’s teeth are coated in a thin layer of tooth enamel, which is a very strong material that protects the sensitive portions of the tooth from bacteria. But when your children eat foods and drink beverages high in sugar, this leaves behind particles that feed harmful oral bacteria. The bacteria then create a layer of plaque coating the teeth, and this layer actually weakens outer enamel and erodes it, allowing cavities to form. Other factors could include improper or infrequent brushing and flossing, especially of the hard-to-reach rear molars, which again allows plaque to accumulate and weaken the teeth. With preventive treatments, we want to help limit the risk of cavities forming in little smiles.
Protecting Hard-To-Reach Teeth
The application process is simple and takes only a few minutes. First, we will dry the rear molars and then apply a plastic coating to them. The material will cure quickly, but your children will still need to avoid food and drink for at least 30 minutes. The sealants provide a durable coating on the teeth so food and drink particles, such as sugar and starch, can no longer cling to the teeth to become trapped between them. The sealants stay in place for between five and ten years on average, and wear away gradually with time. We can always re-apply as needed. As the sealant wears away, it adheres the longest to the most vulnerable portions of the tooth structure.
Fluoride Gel and More
We could also apply a fluoride gel to the teeth during each checkup and cleaning visit, as this natural mineral will strengthen the outer enamel. Stronger enamel means a lower risk of cavities forming. You could also help by letting your child use a fluoride toothpaste to strengthen the teeth. Kids three and younger need a rice-sized amount, and kids over the age of three need a pea-sized blot of toothpaste. Your children also benefit from dental cleanings every six months, in which we remove all plaque and tartar and then polish the teeth, protecting smiles from the onset of cavities and infection. If you have any questions, then contact our team today!
Ready to Safeguard Your Little One’s Smile?
Placing preventive treatments could help strengthen outer enamel and keep a kid’s smile strong. If you have any questions about treating little smiles and keeping them safe from cavities, then contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Preventive Treatments