How Our Team Fights Childhood Tooth Decay

Posted July 10, 2025

We don’t want cavities to form in your child’s smile. When they do, this can be a source of discomfort and even increase the risk of infection or even premature tooth loss. But our team can offer solutions to prevent or treat cavities. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about fighting childhood tooth decay!

The Causes and Symptoms of Cavities

What causes cavities in little smiles? Tooth decay means that harmful bacteria is no longer held back by the outer enamel on the teeth. Instead, it can reach the inner dentin to cause a cavity. This means the enamel has been weakened by plaque and tartar buildup, which itself is caused by factors like poor brushing and flossing habits and a diet high in sugar and starch. Damage to the teeth, which could occur due to injury or teeth grinding, could also be a factor.

If you bring your little ones in for an exam and cleaning every six months, then we can likely catch decay in the early stages, before your child experiences symptoms. Otherwise, your child may not be able to let you know something is wrong until the tooth hurts or feels sensitive, which means the decay is at a more advanced state and the risk of infection is already elevated.

The Risk of Infection and Premature Tooth Loss

Without treatment, the decay could spread through the tooth and eventually make contact with the pulp, the nerve center of the tooth. A dental infection then develops, which means worsening pain and the risk of premature tooth loss. Baby teeth fall out on their own, but this happens at specific times. Losing one months or years too early could alter how permanent teeth erupt and increase the risk of misalignment and the need for orthodontics down the road. But with treatment at the first complaints of discomfort, we can stop tooth decay and keep smiles intact.

Dental Fillings and Crowns

How do we treat a cavity and keep little smiles intact? With a dental filling, we can take on cavities in one visit. Instead of metal, we often use a more biocompatible composite resin, which is more lifelike in appearance and safe for kids of all ages. Placement is simple. We will numb the tooth to ensure your child’s comfort and then remove the decay from the tooth. We clean the tooth and apply the composite resin material in several layers. As we sculpt and mold the tooth to ensure proper bite balance, we will cure the filling under a light. The last step is to polish the tooth for a brighter appearance!

For a more substantial case of tooth decay, we could instead place a crown. For the rear teeth we may use stainless steel, as these teeth must endure greater bite focus. For the front facing teeth we have a more lifelike NuSmile zirconia option. If a tooth is infected, we may conduct a root canal alternative for kids known as a pulpotomy.

Fluoride and Dental Sealants

Now you know how we treat a cavity, but what treatments do we offer to prevent them? During each checkup and cleaning visit, our team can apply fluoride directly to the teeth to strengthen the outer enamel and make the onset of cavities less likely. We could also place dental sealants on the rear teeth, as these molars are difficult for kids to reach when they brush and floss. The layers of sealants then prevent food and drink particles from being caught between the molars, which cuts down the risk of cavities significantly. Sealants could potentially stay in place for up to ten years in some cases too! With both options, application only takes a few seconds and kids just need to avoid food and drink for about a half hour as the materials properly cure.

If you have any questions about how we prevent the onset of cavities, or about how we treat them, then contact our team today. When your child complains about a toothache, we can offer an exam and treatment to bring relief and prevent complications.

PDC Kids Provides Care for Little Smiles

We are ready to offer treatment to ease discomfort and stop cavities in your child’s smile, so your little one can continue to enjoy optimal oral health for years to come. To find out more about the care we offer to prevent or treat tooth decay, call Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX, today at (214) 321-4880.