Dental Treatments That Help Prevent Cavities In Your Child

You're probably protective of your child's health and want them to stay healthy and strong. Dental health is equally important, since cavities can lead to infections and pain. Regular brushing and flossing is a fundamental step in protecting the health of your child's teeth, and regular dental visits play a vital role too. Here are three dental treatments that could help prevent cavities in your child.

Routine Cleaning

Having regular dental visits that include teeth cleaning is important throughout childhood and into adulthood. It's good to establish the practice when your child is young so it becomes a lifelong habit. Dental cleanings remove plaque and tartar, and this helps reduce the risk of cavities. Plaque has an acidic nature, and it can eat away at tooth enamel. Daily brushing eliminates part of the plaque, but it's difficult to remove it all, especially in curves and valleys in the teeth. A hygienist uses dental tools to gently scrape away buildup on the teeth before it has a chance to cause damage to the enamel and form a cavity.

Fluoride Treatments

Your child's dentist will advise you on products to use for routine dental care at home that might include fluoride. However, the fluoride treatments your dentist provides are much stronger and more effective than the products you buy at the grocery store. Fluoride treatments can be given in different ways, such as a mouthwash or varnish that's painted on the teeth. Fluoride makes the enamel of your child's teeth stronger so the teeth can resist cavities. However, fluoride treatments alone won't prevent cavities. Your child still needs to brush daily to keep acid and bacteria off their teeth.

Sealants

Your child's dentist might recommend a sealant as a cavity prevention measure. A sealant is especially useful for back molars that have a lot of grooves. These teeth are difficult for children to keep clean, even with daily brushing. A sealant is painted on a tooth in a painless procedure. Once it's in place, it protects the tooth from contact with sugar and acids that lead to tooth decay. Your child's dentist may recommend starting sealants as soon as the permanent molars come in.

You can do quite a bit to prevent cavities in your child with the help of your dentist. With proper care at home and dental treatments, you may be able to spare your child the suffering associated with a toothache and establish healthy dental habits that last for life.