One of the goals of good dental care and hygiene is to prevent tooth decay and cavities. However, despite your best efforts, children sometimes get cavities that need to be treated.
Cavity Prevention starts with good oral hygiene
The key to preventing cavities is good oral hygiene habits from infancy. Wiping your child’s gums after feedings and then using a soft toothbrush after his or her teeth come in will prevent the build-up of bacteria. After your child’s first birthday, use a pea size drop of fluoridated toothpaste. School aged children should also use fluoridated toothpaste and will need your help brushing until they reach 9 years old. Contact Just 4 Kids Pediatric Dentistry and Sedation for more information.
Brushing twice a day is needed to keep your child’s teeth clean and cavity-free. However, if your child eats a diet heavy in sugars – cookies, candy, fruit juices, and soda – brushing after meals is strongly encouraged by our Dentist.
Regular dental checkups are key to cavity prevention and treatment. At Just 4 Kids, our pediatric dentists will check your child’s teeth for signs of early decay and discuss any dietary or nutritional concerns you have.
Cavity Treatment
Treatment of cavities is important in children, even those with baby teeth. If left untreated, decay in baby teeth can affect the overall health of the child and impact the adult tooth. In addition, if baby teeth fall out too early, the spacing of the adult teeth will be affected and may require orthodontics and surgery. Generally, cavities that are found early can be treated without the use of local anesthetic.
Sealants
Sealants are a popular tool for the prevention and treatment of cavities in children. A safe, plastic coating that is applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, dental sealants are an effective way to prevent cavities. They coat the teeth, providing a barrier that prevents bacteria from reaching the teeth. Dental sealants have also been used to stop tooth decay that has already started.
Sealants are recommended for use on permanent molars and are often applied based on the patient’s risk for decay.
Visit your dentist for cavity prevention and treatment
When compared to the cost of treating cavities, sealants are a cost-effective prevention option. Contact Just 4 Kids Pediatric Dentistry and Sedation where our kids dentists will work with you to help prevent cavities in your child’s teeth. If your child develops cavities, their treatment will include the most-effective, least traumatic methods possible.