Prevention
Prophylaxis (Cleanings):
Dental cleanings are an important addition to daily brushing and flossing, and the good news is that they are easy to do. Your child should see the dentist every 6 months for a dental exam and cleaning.
Sealants:
What is better than fixing a cavity and restoring a tooth? Not letting the tooth get damaged in the first place! Dental sealants help make this possible.
Dental sealants are a composite material that is applied to a tooth to protect or “seal” its pitted and grooved surfaces. Sealants prevent food and decay from getting into parts of the tooth that are difficult or impossible to clean and prevent cavities from forming. Since dental sealants are designed to match the color of your child’s tooth, nobody will even be able to notice they are there. Best of all, dental sealant are entirely painless!
Fluoride:
In additional to fluoride toothpaste, it is important to receive fluoride treatments with each 6 month check-up. Topical fluoride applied at the dentist's office is based on a child's caries risk assessment. Children at low risk for caries will benefit from a professionally applied topical fluoride once or twice a year. Children with moderate risk of caries should receive a fluoride treatment at least every 6 months; those at high risk should receive a fluoride varnish treatment every 3 - 6 months. Application of fluoride varnish is safe and may also be effective for infants and toddlers at risk for Early Childhood Caries and children wearing braces.
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