How To Help Lower Your Child’s Cavity Risk
We know cavities pose a major threat to little smiles, and we want to help kids avoid discomfort and the risk of complications like infection or premature tooth loss. To help treat little smiles and lower the risk of cavities, we can offer preventive treatments. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about tips for lowering the risk of cavities in your children’s smiles.
The Causes of Cavities in Children’s Smiles
Cavities form in little smiles when the outer layer of protective tooth enamel is compromised. Plaque and tartar buildup can often weaken and erode the outer layer, allowing harmful bacteria to reach the inner dentin and form cavities. This weakening process could be due to factors like poor brushing and flossing habits and a diet high in sugar and starch. Injuries to the teeth could also be a factor in the onset of tooth decay, along with infrequent visits for cleanings, a process that removes all plaque and tartar from the teeth.
The Link to Infection and Tooth Loss
Often, parents assume that since baby teeth fall out on their own, treating tooth decay in them is not necessary. But the fact is, these teeth could fall out naturally months or even years past the development of the cavity, so ignoring the issue allows the decay to become an infection. Kids not only experience more severe discomfort, but runs the risk of premature tooth loss, which could increase the risk of misalignment and the need for orthodontics down the road. When your children complain about a toothache, be sure to bring them in for an exam to see if they need fillings. But with routine preventive care, we can help your children enjoy a much lower risk of tooth decay.
Dental Cleanings
As we mentioned above, we want to see kids for routine checkups and cleanings every six months starting around age two. During the same portion we look closely at the teeth with digital imaging to see if there are issues like tooth decay that need treatment. But the cleaning portion can help prevent decay. We use an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual pick to gently and thoroughly remove all plaque and tartar from the teeth. The process takes only a few minutes, and can help keep smiles bright and healthy.
Dental Sealants
To help protect little ones from the onset of tooth decay, we may recommend dental sealants. Many children have trouble brushing and flossing the rear teeth, which means food and drink particles can remain trapped between these molars, increasing the risk of tooth decay. But by coating these rear molars in sealants, a thin acrylic layer, children have a much lower risk of cavities. Applying them only takes a few seconds, and they can stay in place for up to ten years, wearing away gradually with time. We can always re-apply as needed to keep smiles healthy and cavity-free.
Fluoride Treatments
During the checkup and cleaning visit, we could also help prevent cavities by applying fluoride directly to the teeth in a varnish form. Fluoride helps strengthen the outer enamel, even weakened portions, to make the onset of cavities less likely. Applying fluoride only takes a few seconds, and kids just need to avoid food and drink for about a half hour as they cure.
Brushing and Flossing
Kids also need to care for their smiles from home in between their visits to our office. Each day, they should start their morning by brushing for two minutes with an age-appropriate toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste. Kids three and younger need a rice-sized amount, and little ones over the age of three should use a pea-sized blot. This helps keep enamel strong! Kids also need to floss every evening before bed, prior to brushing for the second time that day. Floss removes what a toothbrush cannot reach, and helps lower the risk of decay and gingivitis. You can also help by cutting back on the amount of sugar and starch in their diets!
If you have any questions about how our team will protect little smiles from the arrival of cavities, or about what you can do from home in between these visits, then contact our team today. We look forward to helping kids of all ages enjoy optimal oral health and beautiful smiles!
PDC Kids Offers Cavity Prevention for Kids of All Ages
Our team wants to help safeguard children against the onset of tooth decay. To find out more about securing the health of little smiles, call Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX, today at (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Children's Dental Services