This Blog was posted by Clearview Dental – Family Dentistry in Milton, On

Preventative Dental Care

Suggestions to Avoid Tooth Decay
Our suggestions will help your children to avoid tooth decay. We value the benefits of early dental care and promote a lifetime of healthy smiles for your child. To ensure that your child grows up with a healthy smile, we offer sealants, fluoride treatments, tooth-colored fillings and regular check-ups. We strive to educate and inform our patients and parents on the most appropriate home preventative care.

Our doctors want to help prevent problems rather than have to fix them. Our doctors and staff have received extra training in pediatric dentistry; making our practice an excellent choice to help kids and teens get the necessary care in the most supportive way.For more information click here

The start of healthy smile begins around 12 months old. Bring your baby in after his/her first teeth have erupted and before he/she is three-years-old for a complimentary appointment to learn how to brush and floss and to have your individual questions answered. As always, encourage good nutrition and limit juice to mealtimes. Encouraging water consumption not only builds good habits, it also may provide the nutrients needed, such as fluoride. It is strongly recommended not to put your baby to bed with a bottle because decay can destroy the teeth of an infant or young child. For more information about tooth decay please visit our website.

As your child matures let him/her brush a bit to participate but parents should brush and floss again until the child is doing a good job – anywhere from age 7-10. A great way to help your youngster prepare for their first visit is to bring him/her in before their first real appointment with an older sibling or neighbor to see our friendly office and to become familiar with how a dental visit works.

TIP: Avoiding unnecessary decay simply requires strict adherence to a dental hygiene regimen: brushing and flossing twice a day, regular dental checkups, diet control and fluoride treatment. Please fee free to call us if you have any questions and schedule a free consultation to make sure you and your children are not at risk.

Preventative Dental Care – Avoiding Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is a progressive disease resulting in the interaction of bacteria that naturally occur on the teeth and sugars in the everyday diet. Sugar causes a reaction in the bacteria, causing it to produce acids that break down the mineral in teeth, forming a cavity. Our experienced pediatric dentists remove the decay and fill the tooth using a variety of fillings, restoring the tooth to a healthy state.

Sealants

The grooves and depressions that form the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are extremely difficult to clean. As the bacteria reacts with the food, acids form and break down the tooth enamel, causing cavities. Recent studies indicate that 88 percent of total cavities in American school children are caused this way.

Tooth sealants protect these susceptible areas by sealing the grooves and depressions, preventing bacteria and food particles from residing in these areas. Sealant material is a resin typically applied to the back teeth, molars and premolars and areas prone to cavities. It lasts for several years and needs to be checked during regular appointments.

Fluoride

Fluoride is a substance that helps teeth become stronger and resistant to decay. Regularly drinking water treated with fluoride and brushing and flossing regularly ensures significantly lower cavities. If necessary, our dentists can evaluate the level of fluoride in a primary drinking water source and recommend fluoride supplements (usually in tablets or drops).

Our practice strives to create a positive outlook toward oral hygiene so our patients have the best possible chance at a beautiful smile.

“Working with the teeth of children, young adults, and special needs patients seems very natural for me because I’ve observed and participated in Pediatric Dentistry for most of my life. I feel very fortunate to come to work each day. I’m blessed to work with children and young adults, the patients I’m lucky enough to care for and the people I work with (great assistants and staff) make this job the best.”