Pediatric Dental Fillings
Pediatric Dental Fillings in Victor, NY
It can be distressing to learn from your child’s dentist that your child has a cavity in one of their teeth. If cavities are left untreated, it can lead to negative consequences for both the children and parents. Luckily, a pediatric dentist can keep your kid’s teeth healthy. At Victor Smiles in Victor, NY we offer pediatric dental fillings and sealants to help prevent and stop the spread of cavities in kids.
What Causes Cavities in Kids?
The breakdown of tooth enamel is called tooth decay. Tooth decay can eventually lead to cavities (holes in the teeth). Tooth decay is caused by bacteria and occurs when foods that contain carbohydrates are left on the teeth.
Foods such as soda, milk, candy, cake, raisins, fruit juices, bread, and cereals can be the culprit for tooth decay. The bacteria that live in the mouth change these foods into acids. The combination of food, bacteria, saliva, and acid form plaque that sticks to the teeth. Over time, the acids made by the bacteria will eventually eat away at your tooth enamel causing cavities.
All kids are at risk for tooth decay because all kids have bacteria in their mouths. However, certain factors play a part in raising a child’s risk for it. These factors include poor oral hygiene, a diet high in starches and sugars, and high levels of bacteria that end up causing cavities or less saliva flow than normal.
It is important to treat dental decay as soon as possible or it can become worse and lead to more serious oral health problems. Problems caused by childhood dental cavities are advanced dental infections, mouth pain, gum disease, damage to permanent teeth, disrupted speech development, and in some cases, tooth loss.
Tooth Filling Procedure
If your child needs a dental filling, there are three simple steps to the process. First, we will make sure that the tooth and surrounding tissues are numbed so your child has a pain-free dental experience. Then, our pediatric dentist will remove the bacteria and decay from the cavity in the affected tooth and will thoroughly clean and disinfect the cavity. Once it is cleaned, the filling material is applied to the sterile dental cavity, and then it hardens.
Dental fillings are one of the simplest dental procedures. If your child properly cares for his or her dental fillings by brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and visiting their dentist every 6 months for a checkup, their fillings could last for years.
