Never Take Your Healthy Teeth for Granted

Tooth care with proper brushing at home paired with professional pediatric dental care is a great combination to follow and keep with your children. Whether you have one or five or more children, the pediatric dentist you choose should provide quality care and comfort with their services. The following provides you with some recommendations to keep your child's oral health in good balance with the right treatments.

Complete Routine Check-Ups

Start a dental exam routine with your child and their pediatric dentist as early as possible, which can start as soon as your child's teeth poke through their gums. Brush their teeth daily with a child-safe paste and toothbrush then teach them to follow these same practices as they grow, and schedule bi-annual dental exams. Each dental exam will give your pediatric dentist the opportunity to check their oral health and prevent further damage with the right treatments and care.

Use Tooth Treatments

In addition to regular check-ups, you can take their oral health protection a step further with specialized treatments to their teeth to give extra protection. Teeth sealants are a great option that your pediatric dentist can use to protect your child's teeth against decay. A tooth sealant goes onto the tooth and protects the fissures and pits naturally present in their molars and other teeth. Then, as the child grows, the sealants stay in place for many years, providing a barrier against cavities and soft spots on their enamel that can lead to dental caries. Just be sure you have your child's teeth checked twice a year for the sealant's condition and to make sure it is still present and has not fallen off.

Fluoride treatments are also available with your pediatric dentist for oral health promotion. When you use a fluoride treatment on your child's teeth, the fluoride can strengthen the minerals in the tooth enamel, especially where there is a loss of calcium. Talk to your pediatric dentist about a fluoride treatment that provides the right amount for your child's specific health and condition of their teeth.

Follow Up With Oral Health Repairs

Dental problems can arise despite some of the best prevention strategies, which is why a pediatric dentist—like Dentistry For Children & Adolescents—can stay on top of necessary dental work. At each checkup appointment, your child's dentist will evaluate their oral health through the appearance and condition of the gums and the tooth surface in addition to an annual x-ray to check the interior and other hidden areas on their teeth.

When your dentist identifies any damage to the tooth's enamel, dentin, or nerve, they will be able to provide a treatment that fits the tooth's specific condition. This may be with a stainless steel crown, nerve treatment, or filling made of composite material to best match your child's teeth and repair the damage.