As your child grows up, their 20 primary teeth are gradually shed and replaced by a complement of 32 permanent teeth. Since these teeth will have to last for the rest of their lives, it’s important to take measures against tooth decay when they’re young.
Obviously, instilling good oral hygiene habits is the first line of defense. Along with regular dental checkups at Henderson Family Dental, this can keep their teeth clean and can significantly reduce the chances of having cavities.
However, some individuals have permanent molars and premolars with deep pits and textures on the biting surfaces. While this helps the teeth be more efficient at chewing, these areas can also be hard to clean. Stray food matter and bacterial residue can cause large cavities on the occlusal surfaces.
When performing your child’s regular dental checkup, Dr. Nathan Schwartz will monitor the condition of their back teeth. Should he notice a problem, he might recommend applying dental sealants to the back teeth.
This can be done immediately following the dental checkup. This ensures that the enamel on the biting surfaces is completely clean.
These are basically durable, plastic, resin shells that Dr. Nathan Schwartz carefully applies to the biting surfaces of your child’s back teeth to create an effective barrier between bacteria and the healthy tooth enamel.
Dr. Nathan Schwartz will then use a special ultraviolet light to cure and harden the resin. If any residual food particles get stuck in the pits and fissures, the dental sealants will keep the bacteria from having direct access to the tooth enamel.
If you are interested in preserving the health of your child’s back teeth and you live in the Henderson, Nevada, area, you should call 702-564-2526 to schedule a dental checkup at Henderson Family Dental.