Kids can be especially vulnerable to tooth decay, which is why we offer treatments to help. With children’s dentistry, our team can lower the risk of issues like tooth decay. In today’s blog, the team at Healthy Smiles Family Dentistry talks about lowering the risk of cavities for kids in Houston, TX.
How Cavities From in Little Smiles
What happens to cause a cavity to develop in your child’s smile? Tooth decay means that harmful oral bacteria have moved past your outer enamel and reached the inner dentin. This is a sensitive layer of structure, one vulnerable to decay and infection. But what happens to make the outer preventive layer of enamel so weak? Factors like poor brushing and flossing habits, combined with a diet high in sugar, can create plaque and tartar buildup that weakens and erodes the outer enamel. Bacteria then reach the dentin, causing cavities. Injuries to the teeth or even teeth grinding could also be a factor. When this happens, the tooth could ache and the risk of infection will increase, as well as the risk of losing a tooth prematurely. But we want to help prevent this from happening in little smiles!
Fluoride Treatments
We want to help keep your outer enamel strong, so it can protect your child’s tooth from a cavity. As part of the routine checkup and cleaning visits, we can apply fluoride to the teeth to strengthen the outer enamel so it can better safeguard the tooth. This takes only a few seconds, and kids should avoid food and drink for about a half hour as the material fully cures. This thin layer of fluoride varnish can protect smiles from cavities for months to come! For this reason, we also suggest kids use a fluoride toothpaste when they brush each day.
Dental Sealants
We know the rear teeth are difficult for kids to reach when they brush and floss, leaving this portion of the smile very vulnerable to the onset of tooth decay. But with dental sealants, we can apply a thin acrylic layer to these molars, so food and drink particles cannot be trapped between them, so the risk of cavities is lower. Once sealants are in place, they can last for years to come, sometimes as long as ten!
If you have any questions about how we protect little smiles from the onset of a cavity, or if you would like to schedule an appointment for your child, then contact our team today to learn more!
Learn More About Children’s Dentistry!
Our team wants to help kids of all ages avoid the onset of a cavity. To find out more about our children’s treatments, or to schedule an appointment, please call Healthy Smiles Family Dentistry in Houston, TX at (281) 974-4494.
