How Fluoride Treatments and Dental Sealants Prevent Cavities in Children

Parents and dentists associate fluoride treatments and dental sealants with pediatric dentistry in Omaha NE  for good reason. Children make up most of the patients who receive these services, and they have each proven extremely effective at preventing tooth decay, fillings, and tooth loss.

Fluoride Treatments

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry reports that regular fluoride treatments can reduce cavities by up to 95 percent when combined with dental sealants. Fluoride helps to strengthen tooth enamel, which makes it more difficult for bacteria to invade and cause tooth decay. Unfortunately, most kids do not get enough fluoride in their diet and products they use, such as toothpaste and mouthwash.

Fluoride is a mineral that exists naturally in the crust of the earth, as well as in water, many foods, and throughout nature. When giving your child a fluoride treatment, Dr. Lisa Strunk, Dr. Emily Strunk, Dr. Carmen Dana, or Dr. Rebecca Buss applies it to the teeth with a small brush. The entire process takes just a few minutes.

Dental Sealants

Sealants protect the back molar teeth that can be challenging for children to reach with a toothbrush. Flossing can also be difficult because there often is not enough space to string a piece of dental floss between two molars. Like fluoride treatments, getting dental sealants involves having one of our dentists apply liquid to the back teeth. The liquid quickly hardens and forms a seal in the grooves and pits of your child’s molar teeth to provide them with extra protection.

We Include These Treatments at All Checkups

We believe that pediatric dentistry in Omaha NE should always include fluoride treatments and dental sealants and will provide them unless you ask us not to. Please schedule an appointment for your son or daughter if we have not seen them in more than six months.