Dental x-rays are an essential part of your childโs dental check-up. X-rays provide us with important information about the health of our teeth, mouth, and surrounding jawbone that isnโt visible with the naked eye. With x-rays, our team can detect problems early and avoid extensive treatment in the future.
Most dental diseases are progressive, and will continue to get worse over time if left untreated. Dental x-rays allow us to see between the teeth where plaque collects when we arenโt flossing enough. When plaque collects over time, our tooth enamel is weakened. This causes cavities. X-rays help us spot these cavities before they become large and treat them while still small.
Dental x-rays are also useful in finding teeth that havenโt yet erupted inside the mouth. When your child is โmissingโ a tooth at an age it would normally be present, x-rays help determine whether the tooth is simply behind schedule, unable to erupt or completely absent from the jaw. All teeth are important to help children speak and chew properly!
Fluoride is one of the most effective agents in strengthening our teeth. Fluoride treatments combined with brushing twice a day, flossing regularly, eating balanced meals, and reducing sugar intake all help prevent tooth decay.
What is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a mineral that is naturally present in almost all foods and water.
How Does Fluoride Work?
Systemic fluoride strengthens teeth that have erupted as well as those that have not. This is ideal for children who are still developing their teeth. We get this type of fluoride from the foods we eat and drink. Ask our team at your childโs next visit for fluoride recommendations based on age and diet.
Topical fluoride strengthens the teeth making them more resistant to decay. Topical fluoride comes from using fluoride-containing dental products such as toothpaste, mouth rinses, and gels. Fluoride varnish treatments can also be applied to your childโs teeth during their routine hygiene visits.
Why Are Fluoride Treatments Necessary?
Sometimes patients are not getting enough fluoride exposure to ensure their teeth are protected. Your dentist or dental hygienist may recommend the use of home and/or professional fluoride treatments for the following reasons:
Remember, good home oral hygiene is vital to maintaining your overall oral health. Visiting us at least twice a year will help keep your childโs mouth and teeth in optimal health and can reduce the need for more advanced treatment.
Dental sealants are one of the most effective ways we can prevent cavities from forming on our childrenโs teeth. Sealants protect the vulnerable nooks and crannies of back teeth, helping to lessen the build-up of food and plaque from causing severe tooth decay. Sealants reduce the risk of cavities on permanent molars by 80%, according to the American Dental Association.
What Are Dental Sealants?
A dental sealant is a thin coating applied to premolars and molars. This smooth seal is applied over the deep grooves in the chewing surface of the teeth. The sealant is made of plastic or a resin-based material and is nearly invisible to the naked eye. In fact, sealants are so thin your child likely wonโt feel a difference either.
How Are Sealants Applied?
The process of applying dental sealants is quick and painless. First, we clean off the teeth where the sealant is being applied. After the teeth have been dried off, we put a solution on the teeth that will help the sealant bond to them. Our team will paint a thin layer of sealant over each tooth being treated, which will bond with the tooth enamel.
Itโs important to get the sealant application dried quickly, especially with kids who tend to squirm in the chair. We use a curing light that speeds up the drying process so it generally takes less than a minute.
The sealant hardens and forms a protective barrier between teeth and bacteria. The entire dental sealants procedure takes just a few minutes, but sealants can last on our teeth for up to 10 years!
During your childโs regular dental checkup, we will check their sealants for chips or wear chips.
Dental Sealants for Children
Dental sealants are commonly applied to childrenโs teeth for these three main reasons:
Dental Sealants and Dental Hygiene
Itโs important to remember that while sealants do offer protection from cavities, they are not substitutes for brushing or flossing. Children with dental sealants should continue with their regular dental hygiene routine of brushing at least twice a day and flossing daily.
Children should also continue to take in fluoride through municipal drinking water or fluoride treatments provided in our office. While sealants do provide great protection, fluoride strengthens teeth and helps ward off cavities too, so itโs best to use both measures together.
Sealants are an excellent way to prevent cavities. The American Dental Association says adding a sealant to a tooth can reduce the occurrence of cavities by 86 percent in the first year! Over a four-year period, the risk of cavities declines by 58 percent. Over a full decade, says the ADA, the success rate grows to up to 90 percent. Thatโs a powerful argument for getting sealants.
Our team has delivered outstanding pediatric dental care in Yukon for over 20 years. We are committed to providing our community with safe, gentle, high-quality dental care.
Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your dental care, we are more than happy to discuss how you can achieve a beautiful and healthy smile.
As a top pediatric dental office in Yukon, we have helped hundreds of families achieve their oral health goals and are eager to help you and your family do the same.
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