What are Sealants?

When your child visits the dentist for their regular check-up you may hear the word sealants. Don’t panic, this is a dental procedure that the dentist is recommending for their own health. Sealants can help to keep your child’s smile as healthy as possible.  They keep bacteria away from deep ridges in the teeth that hold onto the food they are consuming.  Dr. Anna Lee and her team suggest that children get sealants in order to decrease their chances of decay.

Sealants are a clear or tinted plastic protective coating applied on the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars to prevent cavities.  Molars and premolars have grooves and crevices and food can get stuck on or in these surfaces.  Sealants are applied to ‘seal’ the grooves and crevices so that food cannot get into them to cause cavities.

The longer that food is able to stay on the surface of the teeth the more likely it is to negatively impact the surface of the teeth and create a cavity. Once a cavity is forming the only way to take care of the problem is to remove the cavity. Depending on the size of the cavity will depend on the pain and the cost of the procedure. That’s why sealants are so beneficial and recommended, especially for children who sometimes have more difficulty brushing well.

For more information on sealants contact Dr. Anna Lee & her team today.

Protecting Permanent Teeth

Your child’s teeth are important and it is critical that their permanent teeth are protected. Dr.Anna Lee suggests following these simple rules in order to keep your child’s teeth in great shape for a lifetime.  

·      Avoid sticky and sugary foods.  Some of these foods include cookies, dried figs, granola bars, jelly beans, doughnuts, potato chips, pretzels, cereal, and raisins

·      Avoid sugary drinks such as soda and fruit drinks

·      Avoid skipping regular dental appointments

·      Avoid going days without brushing & flossing

A smile can last a lifetime if they are taking care of it everyday.

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) or Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (BBTD) What is it?

Unfortunately, babies are not free from the possibility of decay. Tooth decay in babies and toddlers is often referred to as Early Childhood Caries (ECC) or Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (BBTD).  It is a common bacterial infectious disease caused by certain types of bacteria that live in the mouth.  Bacteria feed on sugar and produce acids that attack and destroy the tooth’s outer surface (enamel).  The end result is cavities.  Babies and toddlers who go to sleep with a bottle containing milk, breast milk, or fruit juices are more susceptible to having ECC/BBTD.

Tooth decay is also a transmissible disease.  Mothers with untreated cavities have higher levels of bacteria in their mouth and are more likely to pass bacteria to their children through kissing or using the same eating utensils.

In order to protect them from bottle tooth decay after they have consumed milk products you can use a towel to wipe excess milk from their gums.  

For more information on baby bottle tooth decay contact Dr. Anna Lee & her team.