Helping Kids Avoid Cavities With Dental Sealants
We know that cavities can lead to discomfort and even threaten stability for little smiles. The holiday season is a time when kids tend to binge sugar and increase the risk of tooth decay. But we have a unique preventive treatment to help! In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about avoiding cavities with dental sealants.
How Cavities Occur
Tooth decay is common in childhood, even babies can develop baby bottle decay! The trouble starts when little smiles are exposed to too much sugar, which harmful bacteria will consume. This process then creates high levels of oral acidity and coats the teeth in plaque, which weakens outer enamel to cause cavities to form. For babies and toddlers, this could be due to napping or sleeping with a bottle of milk or juice. For older kids, a lot of sugar combined with poor brushing and flossing habits could be the culprit. But we want to help your little ones avoid cavities, and we can help with dental sealants.
Placing Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are a thin layer of acrylic that we apply to the rear teeth. The molars are prone to developing cavities because kids often have a hard time reaching them when they brush and floss. But we can apply sealants in a few seconds to the teeth, which coats them and prevents food and drink particles from being caught between them, so the risk of tooth decay is reduced. After we place them, kids just need to avoid food and drink for about 30 minutes as the material cures. The sealants can then stay in place for up to ten years, wearing away gradually with time. We can always re-apply as needed!
Additional Help with Fluoride
During your child’s checkup and cleaning visit, our team can also apply fluoride to the teeth in a varnish form to help strengthen the outer enamel and also lower the risk of tooth decay. Kids also benefit from fluoride toothpaste, with those three and younger using a rice-sized amount and kids over the age of three using a pea-sized amount. If you have any questions about how we lower the risk of tooth decay in little smiles, or if you want to schedule a checkup and cleanings before the year ends, then contact our team today. There is still time to see us and use your 2024 dental insurance benefits and health savings account funds before they expire at the end of the month.
Talk to Our Team About Avoiding Tooth Decay
If you have questions about preventing a cavity, or if you would like to schedule an appointment with our team, call your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, at (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Preventive Treatments