To help kids enjoy healthy smiles and avoid the onset of tooth decay, we can offer children’s dentistry. With routine dental care, we can help safeguard their smiles and offer tips for better homecare as well. In today’s blog, your Grand Prairie, TX, dentist talks about keeping children free of tooth decay!
The Causes of Tooth Decay
How does a child develop tooth decay? This can happen as soon as the first teeth erupt! In fact, baby bottle tooth decay refers to this happening in infancy. The outside of the teeth is coated in a protective layer of enamel, which protects the more sensitive inner structures and tissues. When poor oral hygiene leads to plaque buildup and weakened enamel, this can cause the onset of cavities. Factors behind this include foods and drinks high in sugar, going to sleep or napping with milk or a bottle/cup of juice, and lack of daily brushing and flossing. Without treatment, cavities then lead to infection and even premature tooth loss, which itself can lead to the onset of dental misalignment.
Help with Cleanings and Preventive Treatments
As part of our approach to children’s dentistry, our team can provide treatments to help lower the overall risk of tooth decay. When we see kids for a visit every six months, starting at age two, we will provide a cleaning to remove all plaque and tartar from the surfaces of the teeth. The process only takes a few minutes and helps lower the risk of decay in the smile. We also have fluoride treatments, in which we apply fluoride to the teeth in a varnish form to help strengthen the outer enamel and make cavities less likely. Applying this only takes a few seconds, and kids just need to wait to eat or drink for about a half hour as the material cures.
The rear teeth are often difficult for kids to reach when they brush and floss, so these molars have a high risk for cavity development. But with dental sealants, we can apply an acrylic coating to them so food and drink particles can no longer be caught between the hard-to-reach teeth. The sealants can even stay in place for as long as ten years in some cases!
Better At-Home Oral Hygiene
Making sure your little one’s smile is cared for at home is essential too. With babies, you should clean their first teeth gently with a cloth or a small toothbrush that fits over your finger. For toddlers, you can brush for them with an age-appropriate toothbrush and a rice-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. You can make sure your older kids brush for two minutes a day, in the morning and at night, and that they use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. All ages need to floss each evening before they brush the second time.
Learn More About Children’s Dental Care
We want to help your kids enjoy good oral health and avoid painful toothaches. When you are ready to schedule your appointment for children’s dentistry, then contact Pecan Tree Dental in Grand Prairie, TX at 972-262-5111.
