Preventive Dentistry From a Kid Friendly Dentist

Our kid friendly dentist helps to keep your child’s teeth healthy by educating you on proper ways to clean their teeth and gums and performing preventative treatments like the application of dental sealants.

Good oral hygiene is the foundation of preventative dentistry, and it should start as soon as a child is born. A clean, damp cloth can be used to clean a baby’s gums after meals until their teeth start to erupt. Parents can then move on to using a soft toothbrush to clean their teeth.

Good dental hygiene combined with preventive treatments performed by a kid friendly dentist protects your child against issues like tooth decay and gum disease. Both are responsible for most visits to dental clinics.

Preventive treatments performed by our kid friendly dentist

Some of the preventative treatments dentists use to protect children’s teeth include:

1. Fluoride treatments

Fluoride treatments are one of the first preventive procedures performed on children. This is a straightforward process that takes less than a few minutes to complete. It involves coating the child’s teeth with a fluoride-infused varnish that dries up almost as soon as it is painted on. This minimizes the risk of the child swallowing the product, and it protects their teeth for up to six months. It is a safe way to strengthen a child’s teeth and prevent cavities from forming or worsening if they exist.

2. Dental sealants

Dental sealants are another popular preventive procedure. Sealants are protective shields that keep food particles, bacteria, and acids away from the biting surfaces of teeth. These sealants are made from the same composite resins used for composite bonding but come in liquid form. The sealant is painted on the child’s teeth during the treatment and hardened with a curing light.

They are typically recommended for molars since they are most vulnerable to decay, but they can be applied to all of a child’s teeth. Sealants reduce the risk of decay by almost 90% after a year and by almost 60% after four years.

Dental sealants are safe for children as young as 12 months, and follow-up coats can be applied as needed. Parents should consider getting their children’s teeth coated with sealants, especially if their teeth are prone to decay.

3. Teeth cleanings

Teeth cleanings are performed to remove tartar from teeth surfaces. Tartar is what plaque turns into after being left on teeth for more than a day. Plaque is the sticky film in the mouth that makes it feel fuzzy after sleeping. It contains bacteria and the acids they produce, which cause tooth decay.

Brushing does not eliminate tartar, so regular teeth cleanings are needed to minimize the damage it causes to teeth. Teeth cleanings also protect children from periodontal disease even though they are not as vulnerable to the condition as adults. The American Dental Association recommends children get their teeth cleaned at least twice a year.