Should Your Child Receive A Dental Sealant?
Do your kids have trouble with tooth decay? For children with an especially high risk for tooth decay, we could use a unique preventive treatment to safeguard the smile. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about when kids should receive dental sealants.
The Dangers of a Dental Cavity
Tooth decay occurs when harmful oral bacteria reach the inner dentin, the sensitive structure that makes up most of a child’s tooth. Typically, the outer enamel prevents this from happening. But poor oral hygiene habits, like improper brushing and flossing and a diet high in sugar and starch, could lead to plaque buildup that weakens and erodes the outer enamel. Without treatment, the cavity could not only hurt, but lead to an infected tooth and the risk of premature tooth loss! When your child reports an aching tooth, let us know so we can offer relief with a lifelike composite resin filling. We also have preventive treatments to keep decay at bay.
Placing a Dental Sealant
A dental sealant is a thin plastic layer we apply to the rear teeth to prevent cavities. We first clean these teeth and apply a gentle acid solution to create a rough structure that helps keep the sealants in place. We then remove the solution and apply the sealants, curing it with a light. The whole process only takes a short time in one visit to complete. These coat the molars, preventing food and drink particles from being stuck on or between them. Since kids often have trouble reaching these teeth when they brush and floss, this could lower the risk of tooth decay.
They can stay in place for up to ten years, and wear away gradually with time, so we don’t have to remove them. As they wear away, they tend to cling the longest to the more vulnerable portions of each tooth’s structure, fighting tooth decay the entire time.
Keeping Teeth Strong
Along with these sealants, we could apply a topical fluoride gel each checkup visit, which helps strengthen the outer enamel to prevent erosion and tooth decay. We also clean the teeth, removing the harmful layers of plaque and tartar completely and then polishing the smile for a brighter appearance. If you have any questions about our preventive treatment options, or if you would like to schedule a checkup and cleaning or your little one, then contact our team today to learn more. We’re ready to help your child smile with confidence!
Your Dallas, TX, Dentist Helps Prevent Cavities and Infections
We would like to help kids avoid painful toothaches and sensitivity! If you have any questions about safeguarding a child’s oral health, then contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Preventive Treatments