When children develop cavities, it’s important to treat them as soon as possible to stop them from causing any more significant damage to your tooth’s structure. Fortunately, treating cavities is typically easy, especially when they’re addressed in their early stages. Even better is the fact that they’re also highly preventable, and we can offer several options for helping to improve your child’s chances of avoiding a cavity. By stopping a cavity from forming, your child’s tooth and oral health can enjoy better long-term health.
Going for the source of cavity development
The beginning of a cavity involves the erosion of your child’s tooth enamel, which is the protective, highly mineralized layer that surrounds their main tooth structure. This erosion can occur when their teeth are exposed certain acidic foods and beverages, or sugars that oral bacteria convert into similar acids. Preventing this from occurring requires consistently good dental hygiene, including brushing their teeth and flossing at least once every day. It also requires consistent dental checkups and cleanings to remove calcified tartar that your child won’t be able to brush or floss away.
Protecting children’s teeth against oral bacteria
Consistently cleaning their teeth of oral bacteria is one of the most important measures in helping children prevent cavity development. However, sometimes it may take a bit more effort to keep their teeth and tooth enamel strong and healthy. For instance, if your child’s tooth enamel has grown weak under bacteria attacks, then we can help strengthen by applying topical fluoride treatment the surfaces of their teeth. Fluoride bonds to tooth enamel’s mineral strands, speeding up its ability to regain its strength after acid attacks. Dental sealants may also help protect your child’s teeth by stopping bacteria from reaching their tooth enamel and attacking it.
Keeping an eye out for early cavity development
During your child’s preventive checkup appointments, we can carefully examine your child’s teeth to determine if fluoride and/or dental sealants are a good idea. We can also check for signs that a cavity has already developed, which will allow us to treat it as early as possible and mitigate any damage to your child’s tooth. For instance, placing a biocompatible, tooth-colored filling in the cavity can stop it from getting worse and preserve your child’s healthy, natural tooth structure.
Learn how we can help kids prevent cavities
With consistent care and appropriate preventive treatment, we can help significantly improve your child’s chances of preventing cavities. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, call Lake Orion Family Dentistry in Lake Orion, MI, today at 248-693-6213.
