Helping Your Children Avoid Tooth Decay
Did you know that action can be taken at home, or with routine visits to our office, to help kids avoid tooth decay? From better brushing and flossing habits, to visits for preventive treatments, kids can enjoy optimal oral health. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about helping kids avoid cavities.
The Causes of a Cavity
How do cavities happen? A cavity means that harmful bacteria has reached the dentin, the sensitive layers of structure beneath the outer enamel. But how does this happen? Well, factors like poor brushing and flossing habits and a diet high in sugar, combined with infrequent visits for professional cleanings, could lead to plaque and tartar buildup. These layers can weaken and erode the outer enamel to cause cavities. Without treatment to stop your child’s cavity, this could lead to a dental infection and even risk the premature loss of a baby tooth!
The Warning Signs of Tooth Decay
How do you know if your child needs to see us for cavity treatment? If you bring your child in for a regular checkup and cleaning every six months, then we can catch decay in the early stages of demineralization, often before your little one even experiences discomfort. This can help them avoid cavities. Otherwise, you may not know your little one needs attention from our team until they complain about an aching tooth. Persistent pain in a tooth means the cavity is in a more advanced state, and care is needed to stop decay and prevent infection that could cause premature tooth loss!
Treatment with a Dental Filling
While we want to help kids about tooth decay, what happens if we discover a cavity in a tooth? If this happens, we can offer relief in one visit with a dental filling. The procedure uses a composite resin material that is more lifelike in appearance than metal fillings, and that is safe for all ages. We simply numb the tooth, remove the decay and place this composite resin in several layers. As the material cures under alight, we will shape the tooth and then polish it for a brighter appearance. In one visit, we offer relief for little smiles!
Prevention with a Cleaning
With a routine dental cleaning every six months, we can help protect kids from cavities. Plaque and tartar buildup can form due to factors like poor brushing and flossing or a diet high in sugar. The buildup then weakens and erodes the outer enamel. But we can remove the buildup from the teeth with a cleaning, keeping the enamel strong and protecting cavities. The procedure only takes a few minutes, and we will use an ultrasonic scaling device and a metal pick to gently remove the buildup and protect the smile. We then polish the tooth for a brighter appearance and to help limit buildup until we see you again, keeping your smile strong.
Fluoride and Dental Sealants
Our team also has two treatments to help strengthen the teeth and prevent cavities. As part of your little one’s checkup and cleaning visit, we can apply fluoride to the teeth to strengthen the outer enamel and keep your smile strong. This only takes a few seconds, and kids just need to stay away from food and drink for about a half hour.
We also have dental sealants. A thin layer of acrylic is applied to the rear teeth, which kids often have trouble reaching when they brush and floss. By doing so, we help prevent cavities from forming there, keeping smiles healthy and strong. Once applied, these can stay in place for years to come, up to ten in some cases! Applying dental sealants only takes a few seconds and again kids just need to avoid food and drink for about 30 minutes as the material cures.
If you have any questions about how we help protect kids from cavities, or if you would like to learn more about poor brushing and flossing and other tips for keeping little smiles cavity-free, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help your children smile with confidence!
PDC Kids Offers Smiles Without Cavities
Our team wants to help bring relief and also make sure children have the chance to avoid tooth decay entirely. To find out more about the treatment and preventing issues like tooth decay, then call Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX, today at (214) 321-4880. Children deserve a healthy smile, and we want to help make it possible!
filed under: Children's Dental Services