Preventative Dentistry is the Foundation at Parkway Pediatric Dentistry
At Parkway Pediatric Dentistry, we are specialists in children’s preventative dentistry. Our goal is to establish excellent oral hygiene routines that will last a lifetime. Some patients and families are more prone to getting cavities, and we are here to provide suggestions for optimizing oral hygiene, including diet considerations and education about the importance of brushing and flossing. We want to empower your child to smile!
Regular dental visits allow Dr. Parks and Dr. Ryan to identify any potential oral health concerns when they are small. This in turn allows us to avoid more extensive treatment needs in the future. Our preventative program includes professional dental cleanings, fluoride varnish treatments, dental sealants, and digital dental radiographs. As pediatric dental specialists, we have extensive training in your child’s growth and development and will monitor for any orthodontic considerations.
Dental Cleanings and Regular Checkups
Our pediatric dental office wants to ensure you get the most out of your dental visits! We are here to help keep your child’s teeth healthy for life. Good oral hygiene habits develop at a young age and continue as an adult. Practicing good oral hygiene means maintaining your smile by visiting our office regularly, and taking care of your teeth and gums at home between checkups. At your twice-yearly checkups, we will:
- Check for any problems that your child may not see or feel
- Evaluate for signs of tooth decay
- Perform a thorough cleaning of your child’s teeth
- Inspect your child’s gums for signs of gingivitis or periodontal disease
- Monitor your child’s growth and development for any orthodontic considerations
Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride treatments are extremely different than when you were a kid! Now fluoride varnish is applied easily with a small brush. Fluoride is very beneficial for preventing cavities. It is a naturally occurring mineral that can make teeth more resistant to tooth decay and can harden, or remineralize, areas where cavities are starting. Fluoride treatments have a higher concentration of fluoride than regular toothpaste and must be applied by a professional. For optimal cavity prevention, application twice per year is typically recommended.
Why Children Like Fluoride Varnish
- Children get to select their favorite flavor
- Fewer cavities!
- Applied with a small brush and hardens upon contact with saliva
- Children can eat and drink immediately after application
What are Dental Sealants?
A dental sealant is a preventative protective coating that is placed on children who have deep pits and grooves on their six- and/or twelve-year molars.
Benefits of Sealants:
- Dental sealants do not allow sticky foods or bacteria to remain on the chewing surface of teeth
- Dental sealants are extremely helpful because these permanent molars are very difficult to brush and keep clean
- The cavity prevention success rate is over 80%
- Tooth-colored
The application of dental sealants is a very simple and easy process. Your pediatric dentist will clean off any debris on the chewing surface of the tooth, apply a special tooth gel (we let children know it’s like shampoo!) and apply the clear dental sealant. After we shine the LED light, the material is hardened and all deep grooves are now smooth.
At Parkway Pediatric Dentistry we pride ourselves on being educators and are at the forefront of preventative and conservative dentistry. If you would like your child to be evaluated for dental sealants please contact us at 540-989-3639.