How We Prevent (Or Treat) Tooth Decay

Posted July 9, 2026

Cavities are a widespread issue and one that can impact kids of all ages, from babies and toddlers to teens! Which is why we offer treatment, both to address cavities that have already formed, or to help prevent them entirely. In today’s blog, your team at Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda talks about helping kids in Dallas, TX, avoid cavities!

The Cases of Cavities in Little Smiles

Tooth decay can form in smiles of all ages, literally as soon as the first baby tooth erupts. Known as baby bottle decay in babies, this can form due to kids sleeping and napping with milk or juice, and not having their teeth gently cleaned with a cloth twice daily. For toddlers and older kids, a combination of poor brushing and flossing and a diet high in sugar and starch can lead to the onset of cavities. During the summer, when kids tend to snack more and turn to sodas, energy drinks, and sports drinks, this could make the cavity risk all the higher. Our team wants to help your kids avoid cavities when possible, and once a cavity develops, we can provide care to either halt the decay’s progress or treat it, including with a metal-free and more lifelike composite resin filling!

Warning Signs

How do you know when to bring your child in for treatment with our team? We always urge parents to bring their kids in for routine checkups and cleanings every six months, starting at age two. During these visits, we can examine the smile and discover the earliest stages of decay when the issue begins forming, taking action before kids even develop symptoms.

Otherwise, you may not know until they report tooth sensitivity when they eat or drink, or a toothache that doesn’t abate after a day or two. At this point, care is crucial to avoid infection!

A Link to Infection

Many parents assume that since the baby tooth falls out, treating tooth decay is not necessary. However, the tooth may not fall out for months or even years to come, and leading the decay untreated means the tooth could become infected and lost prematurely, which impacts overall alignment and leads to further pain in other teeth. But we can take actions to help treat the issue!

Silver Diamine Fluoride

If we examine your child’s smile and find decay has formed, but is early enough that a filling is not yet needed, then we could halt the progression of a cavity with Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF). We apply this to the tooth and it coats the decayed area so it cannot progress any further, protecting the smile. We could also discuss a unique treatment that helps strengthen the outer enamel to make cavities unable to form, using the Curodont remineralizing gel!

Dental Fillings

If the cavity requires a filling, we can offer care in one visit with more natural results. The composite resin we use is metal-free and application takes one sitting. We numb the tooth, gently remove decay, and apply the filling. We then shape the tooth while the composite resin cures under a lift. Finally, we polish the tooth for a brighter appearance. The entire process only takes one visit!

Dental Crowns

If the decay is too severe for a filling, then we could offer a crown, which caps the tooth. For the side and rear teeth we may use stainless steel, while a more natural NuSmile zirconia option could be employed for the more visible front teeth.

Prevention with Fluoride and Sealants

We also offer treatments to help prevent the onset of cavities! For example, during each checkup visit we can apply fluoride to the teeth to strengthen the outer enamel and make cavities less likely to form. We also know that the rear teeth are often hard to reach when you brush and floss, so we could apply a dental sealant to them that prevents food and drink particles from being caught where kids cannot reach. These can stay in place for up to ten years in some cases!

If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat cavities for little smiles, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help protect little smiles of all ages from the impact of decay and infection.

PDC Kids Offers Cavity Solutions

Our team wants to take on cavities and bring relief to little smiles. To find out more about treating tooth decay, then call Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX, today at (214) 321-4880.