In our Visalia dental office, we use dental sealants to help reduce the likelihood of our patients developing cavities. We believe in offering comprehensive preventative care. While most people think of professional teeth cleanings as the only thing that can prevent infections and disease, we can actually take additional steps to help. These include:
Fluorine is a naturally-occurring mineral that can help to strengthen teeth. Patients can get fluoride in the water they drink (if you are on public water) or through a fluoride treatment at our dental office. We recommend that children and teens have a fluoride treatment once a year. Fluoride treatment is a simple, fast and non-invasive treatment since all we do is apply the fluoride and wait a couple of minutes for it to be absorbed by the teeth. Patients can get fluoride at home by using a special toothpaste, an excellent way to augment our in-office treatment.
Dental sealants are another way we prevent cavities. It is common for people to have deep ridges on the chewing surfaces of their teeth. These ridges are breeding grounds for bacteria and plaque since it is easy for food to stick between teeth and hard to brush the food away. As a result, many people develop cavities in these areas specifically. We can reduce the likelihood of this happening by applying a dental sealant. This is a plastic-like material that goes on gently and only takes a few minutes per tooth to apply.
The dental sealant hardens right away and creates a barrier that prevents food from touching the actual chewing surface of the tooth. Since the teeth will not be able to trap food particles, the likelihood of developing a cavity is very slim. We find this option to be particularly helpful for children prone to getting cavities. Since decay can cause uncomfortable toothaches and days missed from school, it is far better to prevent them by using a solution such as dental sealants. Since the process is fast and entirely non-invasive, dental sealants are an easy treatment for children of all ages.
When you or your children visit Visalia Care Dental, we will perform an examination and let you know if we recommend either fluoride or dental sealants. If so, we can typically clean your teeth and then provide you with these treatments on the same dental visit. This way, you do not need to come back to our dental office. The exception is if we have to place dental sealants on most of the teeth and you are on a tight schedule.
In this case, we will be happy to schedule a follow-up appointment. In any case, this is a fast, comfortable, convenient, and affordable way to reduce the risk of you or your children developing cavities. When combined with good oral hygiene and a healthy diet, our preventative care can help you maintain healthy teeth for a lifetime.
By some parent's standards, children grow up being told that brushing their teeth and flossing are all they need to keep their mouth healthy. Unbeknownst to the children, the bristles of a toothbrush are too large to reach between teeth or in the grooves on top of teeth. Thus, children will be unable to reach…
People of all ages can get cavities, so be sure to take the right precautions early on in life. Call us for more info.When it comes to caring for a child's teeth, parents can do more than just help the child brush their teeth properly. Our dental office can provide dental sealants to create an…
Dental sealants can be the difference between having healthy or unhealthy teeth. Practicing good oral hygiene goes a long way when it comes to taking proper care of teeth. However, regardless of how well a person cleans their teeth, some food particles will be left on teeth surfaces. These food particles are broken down into…
Dental sealants are recommended for children at Visalia Care Dental to protect teeth from decay. Tooth decay, dental caries, and cavities are all synonymous for irreversible damage to the natural tooth. Teeth can be repaired when they have decay, but the part of the tooth that was lost cannot be recovered. According to the CDC,…