Dental Sealants Provide Years Of Cavity Prevention
When cavities develop, this causes pain in your child’s smile and could leave their teeth vulnerable to infection and premature tooth loss. In addition to treating cavities with fillings, our team can offer care to help prevent the onset of tooth decay. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about how we safeguard smiles with dental sealants.
The Causes of Tooth Decay
Cavities form in the interior of the tooth, in the sensitive layers of dentin that are usually protected by the outer enamel. But poor oral hygiene habits, such as infrequent brushing and flossing and a diet high in sugar, could lead to plaque buildup that weakens and erodes the enamel. For others, injury to the teeth could be a cause, as this also impacts the outer enamel. When the decay forms, it will grow and spread throughout the tooth unless treated. Eventually, your child could develop a painful toothache or sensitivity when eating and drinking. At this point, treatment with a filling is crucial for avoiding infected teeth. Fortunately, our team can offer dental sealants to lower the risk of cavities in children’s smiles.
The Placement of Our Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are a thin acrylic layer that we add to the molars in the rear of the mouth. These layers coat the teeth and prevent particles from the foods and drinks your kids consume from clinging to them or becoming trapped between them. To apply them, we gently clean and dry the teeth. We may etch the surfaces gently, and then we apply the acrylic to them. We cure the layers with a light and your kids then avoid food and drink for about 30 minutes. Once in place, this provides up to a decade of protection, lowering cavity risks. As the layers wear away with time, they tend to cling the longest to the more vulnerable portions of outer structure.
What About Fluoride Treatments?
Our team could also apply a fluoride treatment during each six-month checkup and cleaning visit. The naturally-occurring mineral has been shown to strengthen the outer enamel to lower the chances of erosion, and help fight cavities in children’s smiles. You can also help by making sure your kids use a fluoride toothpaste when brushing in the morning and at night. Kids three and younger need a rice sized blot of toothpaste, while kids three and older can use a pea sized amount.
If you have any questions, then contact our team today.
Your Dallas, TX, Pediatric Dentist Offers Cavity Prevention
If you want to find out more about avoiding tooth decay, or if you would like to schedule an appointment for your children for preventive treatments, we invite you to contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Preventive Treatments