Our entire, kid–friendly pit crew here at Speedway Pediatric Dentistry in Indianapolis, IN is extremely passionate about making sure all of our families are well–educated about dental cleaning and equipped in all aspects of preventative dental care. Maintaining dental health is crucial, and it’s essential not to delay visiting us until a dental problem, such as tooth decay, arises. By the time a tooth is telling your child that there is a dental problem, it can be past the point of a simple solution. Regular dental care, including teeth cleaning, can prevent issues from escalating beyond simple solutions. It’s better to address potential concerns before they become significant problems, ensuring your child’s dental well-being.
Preventive dental service plays a crucial role in preserving overall health, particularly in children. Habits like frequent snacking and inadequate hygiene practices, if not addressed, can cause serious damage to their oral health within a six-month timeframe. Parents who immediately implement our preventative health care methods, in conjunction with regular dental check-ups and dental cleanings from the first year of their child’s life, have been able to avoid major procedures. In the end, being diligent from the very beginning will not only save you time and money, but will also help your child avoid painful and uncomfortable dental procedures.
Sealants
Many children have deep pits and grooves in their teeth, which increases the possibility of getting gum disease, cavities, or tooth decay. Nothing can help your child more than maintaining daily good oral hygiene and healthy diet practices. However, one way that we can help prevent cavities is by placing dental sealants. Our process involves thoroughly cleaning the tooth before applying dental sealants. This material flows into vulnerable areas of the tooth and then hardens. The entire procedure is swift and completely painless.
The application of dental sealants prevents the accumulation of bacteria, food particles, and plaque in the deep grooves of teeth, areas often difficult to clean with a toothbrush. This preventive measure is crucial in averting dental problems and maintaining oral health. Without the sealant, it can be nearly impossible for even the most diligent parents and children to keep cavities at bay, underscoring the value of this dental service in combating poor oral health. We have found this to be a simple way to prevent our young patients from getting cavities.
Regular Fluoride Treatments
Preventive care for kids, including regular fluoride treatments, is another effective way to prevent cavities (tooth decay) from occurring and help weakening teeth to remineralize (strengthen). Fluoride is already provided systemically through food, water and most toothpaste.In our dental cleanings, we apply fluoride varnish directly to the teeth, providing a mostly topical interaction that enhances the strength and health of your child’s teeth. This easy, affordable, and painless procedure doesn’t take long, but the benefits are long-lasting.
We highly recommend that children have this done from the early years, all the way through their teenage years and in other case-specific situations. Statistically, if your child gets regular fluoride treatments, their risk getting cavities decreases by thirty percent. This is significant when you are considering the overall health and cost of dental disease for your child. Rest assured, we are always on the lookout for the latest and greatest technology and procedures that are at our disposal to ensure that your child is as healthy and comfortable as possible.
We Encourage A Healthy Diet
Preventive care is key in managing the invisible bacteria that constantly reside in your mouth, particularly for kids. These bacteria contribute to the formation of a sticky material called plaque on the surface of the teeth. When sugar is consumed, the bacteria in the plaque feed on it, converting it into acids capable of dissolving tooth enamel, leading to cavities. That’s how cavities get started. By incorporating a dental plan that limits sugar intake and includes prompt dental cleanings, the production of these harmful acids can be significantly reduced. This approach not only minimizes the risk of enamel erosion but also reinforces overall oral hygiene and health.
Eating healthy and nutritious snacks is not only good for your overall health, but a few of them can help your teeth while you are eating them! Teeth cleaning and preventive dental care are essential for maintaining not just your overall health, but also the health of your gums and preventing tooth loss. Consuming healthy and nutritious snacks plays a significant role in this. Eating raw fruits like apples, pears, pineapple and oranges are great examples of healthy fruits that provide less food for bacteria. Similarly, raw vegetables like broccoli, celery, carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes are not only good for your overall health but also teeth and gums!
Sugary snacks taste so good — but they aren’t so good for your teeth or your body. The candies, cakes, cookies, and other sugary foods that kids love to eat between meals can cause tooth decay. Some sugary foods have a lot of fat in them, too. Kids who consume sugary snacks eat many different kinds of sugar every day, including table sugar (sucrose) and corn sweeteners (fructose). Starchy snacks can also break down into sugars once they’re in your mouth. We know it is hard to keep kids away from these foods, especially when being used as a reward, but minimizing snacking on damaging foods at mealtime and excellent oral hygiene practices can minimize damage
