Professional Dental Pediatric Cleaning
We recommend that kids have their teeth cleaned every six months. At that appointment, we will clean their teeth and remove any hardened calculus and plaque that may have form then we will use hand instruments and a state-of-the-art ultrasonic scaler to polish their teeth so they are bright and shiny. We also recommend a fluoride treatment to protect their teeth and keep them healthy and strong.
Fluoride Treatment Helps Keep Your Child’s Teeth Strong
Tooth enamel is one of the hardest substances on Earth. Unfortunately, acid from the foods we eat and the bacteria in our mouths can eat away that enamel. Fluoride helps keep enamel strong and prevent cavities. It can even reverse the problem by helping enamel to re-mineralize and harden. Topical fluoride application can also help re-mineralize sensitive areas of exposed roots and close off the microscopic tubules leading to the nerve.
Professional fluoride treatment is a safe and effective way of reducing your risk of dental decay. We use the latest proven methods of fluoride application to safely deliver fluoride to your teeth. Reasons to get a professional fluoride application:
- Children and adults that are moderate and high risk for decay
- Desensitization for exposed root surfaces
- Decay prevention on exposed root surfaces
- Surrounding metal orthodontic braces and brackets
Dental Sealants Helps Protect Your Child’s Teeth
A dental sealant is a thin coating that your dentist or hygienist will paint on the biting surfaces of your child’s back teeth. Sealants help to prevent tooth decay by sealing off the deep grooves that are often too narrow and too deep for their toothbrushes to clean. Sealants cover up the pits to avoid letting bacteria get into them and they smooth out the surfaces so it is easier to keep them clean.
Your child’s first set of permanent molars will erupt around age six. We recommend having sealants placed between the ages of six and 14, the time when they are especially prone to getting cavities.
Though we want kids to learn to manage their own oral hygiene, some children don’t have the coordination yet to properly clean these teeth. (Ideally, they should be brushing independently for at least two minutes, twice daily.) Six-year molars are statistically the most restored teeth in the mouth for this reason; they are the first permanent teeth to erupt so they have to stick around the longest, and they are present during the most cavity prone period of their life. Sealant can help keep the teeth healthy and avoid problems.
Sealants can last up to 10 years, but since they are a thin plastic coating it is possible that they can chip or break off. Dr. George Lundstrom and your hygienist will check them at your regular dental cleanings to make sure they are still in good shape.
To view the most recent guidelines set forth by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, visit: http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/G_Periodicity.pdf
For additional information, go to http://www.aapd.org
We’d Like To Be Your Family’s Home For Gentle Dental Care in Albert Lea, MN!
Our friendly and professional team is eager to serve you. We offer convenient scheduling to cater to busy families like yours. Click here to email our office or call (507) 377-1659. One of our team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.