Prevention

Prevention is always better than treatment. By actively preventing disease and decay through regular home care, professional dental cleanings and regular exams, you will maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.

In addition, effective prevention can help you avoid costly treatments in the future to remove decay, restore teeth and treat gum disease. Regular prevention is truly your best investment.

Tooth Decay Prevention

Tooth decay is a progressive disease resulting in the interaction of bacteria that naturally occur on the teeth and sugars in the everyday diet. Sugar causes a reaction in the bacteria, causing it to produce acids that break down the mineral in teeth, forming a cavity. Dentists remove the decay and fill the tooth using a variety of fillings, restoring the tooth to a healthy state. Nerve damage can result from severe decay and may require a crown (a crown is like a large filling that can cap a tooth, making it stronger or covering it). Avoiding unnecessary decay simply requires strict adherence to a dental hygiene regimen: brushing and flossing twice a day, regular dental checkups, diet control and fluoride treatment. Practicing good hygiene avoids unhealthy teeth and costly treatment.

Exams

Dental examinations help to diagnose disease before it becomes hazardous to your health. In addition, regular examinations can save you money by alleviating problems while they are small and before they become expensive to repair, or in some cases, impossible to repair. Your dental examinations generally include the following:

  • Oral cancer screening
  • Evaluation of growth and development
  • Orthodontic needs assessment
  • Gum disease evaluation
  • Visual examination of tooth decay
  • Examination of diagnostic x-rays to see cysts, tumors, invisible decay and other problems that can't be seen by the naked eye
  • Evaluation of status of current restorations (fillings and others)

We cannot express enough how important it is to see your dentist regularly.

Remember, preventing disease is always better than treating disease.

Cleanings

Professional cleanings (dental prophylaxis) form the foundation for preventing gum disease and tooth decay. In a professional cleaning, your child's dental team will:

  • Remove plaque from the teeth -- plaque is a sticky substance that forms in the mouth from food, saliva and bacteria. Plaque sticks to teeth and causes tooth decay and gum disease.
  • Remove calculus (tarter) above the gum line -- calculus is plaque that has hardened on the tooth surface and is difficult to remove. (Calculus below the gum line indicates gum disease and requires a different procedure to remove it.)
  • Polish and remove stains from teeth

Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride is an element, which in proper dosage, has been shown to significantly reduce dental decay. When fluoridated water has less than the ideal amount or is not available, fluoride supplements are recommended.

When supplements are needed, the administration of fluoride supplements should begin at 6 months of age and continue through the time of eruption of the second permanent molars (approx. 12 years of age).

Residents of the Colorado Springs area have benefited over the years from naturally occurring fluoride in the drinking water which hardens tooth enamel and increases caries resistance.

Dental Radiographs (X-Rays)

Radiographs (X-Rays) are a vital and necessary part of your child’s dental diagnostic process. Without them, certain dental conditions can and will be missed.

Radiographs detect much more than cavities. For example, radiographs are taken to evaluate erupting teeth, evaluate the results of an injury, diagnose bone diseases, or plan orthodontic treatment. Radiographs allow the dentist to diagnose and treat health conditions that cannot be detected during a clinical examination. If dental problems are found and treated early, dental care is more comfortable for your child and more affordable for you.

At Colorado Springs Pediatric Dentistry we follow the ADA and AAPD recommendation of radiographs every six months for children with a high risk of tooth decay. For children with moderate to low risk we recommend radiographs approximately once a year. We recommend taking a panoramic radiograph every three years starting at age 5 to 6 years old to monitor the growth and development of your child’s teeth and bones.

Exposure to radiation is always a concern. At Colorado Springs Pediatric Dentistry we have the newest in digital radiographic equipment. With digital radiographs the radiation exposure is extremely small. The risk is negligible. In fact, the dental radiographs represent a far smaller risk than an undetected and untreated dental problem.

Home Care

It all starts at home

Adequate home care is imperative if you want to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile and prevent costly dental treatment in the future. The goal of home care is to regularly remove the sticky film of bacteria called plaque from your teeth.

Brushing

Brush your teeth twice daily using a soft tooth brush. Gently vibrate the brush in a circular fashion at a 45 degree angle to the gum line. Then gently vibrate the brush back and forth on each tooth surface until you have effectively cleaned the entire mouth. You should also brush your tongue to remove the bacteria that causes bad breath.

You can use any soft bristled, ADA approved tooth brush. We also recommend the use of modern electric tooth brushes such as Sonicare and Braun. Your child should brush for approximately two minutes to effectively remove plaque that has formed on their teeth. Parents should monitor their child's brushing until the age of six. Your child's hygiene will be evaluated at his/her examination and effectiveness discussed.

Flossing

Floss daily to remove plaque between teeth that you can't reach with regular brushing. Take 12" to 18" of dental floss and wrap it around the middle finger of each hand. Pull the floss tightly, and then use your thumb and forefingers to slide the floss gently between each set of teeth. Curve the floss around each tooth and move the floss up and down along the tooth, going as low as you can comfortably get under the gum line. Use a fresh section of floss for each tooth until you have flossed the entire mouth. Flossing aids are available to assist children with holding the floss.

Rinsing

Always rinse thoroughly with water after brushing (or after meals if you are unable to brush.) You may occasionally use a mouthwash to rinse. Children may benefit from the use of ACT fluoride rinse, to help prevent cavities from forming in between the teeth. It is not recommended for children to use alcohol based mouthrinses.

Sealants

The grooves and depressions that form the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are extremely difficult (if not impossible) to clean of bacteria and food. As the bacteria reacts with the food, acids form and break down the tooth enamel, causing cavities. Recent studies indicate that 88 percent of total cavities in American school children are caused this way.

Tooth sealants protect these susceptible areas by sealing the grooves and depressions, preventing bacteria and food particles from residing in these areas. Sealant material is a resin typically applied to the back teeth, molars and premolars and areas prone to cavities. It lasts for several years but needs to be checked during regular appointments.

Thumb Sucking

Sucking is a natural reflex. Infants, babies and young children use thumbs, fingers, pacifiers and other objects on which to suck. It makes them feel secure and happy and provides a sense of security at difficult periods. Since thumb sucking is relaxing, it may induce sleep.

Thumb sucking that persists beyond the eruption of the permanent teeth can cause problems with the proper growth of the mouth and tooth alignment. How intensely a child sucks on fingers or thumbs will determine whether or not dental problems may result. Children who rest their thumbs passively in their mouths are less likely to have difficulty than those who vigorously suck their thumbs.

Children should cease thumb sucking by the time their permanent front teeth are ready to erupt. Usually, children stop between the ages of two and four. Peer pressure causes many school-aged children to stop.

Pacifiers are not a substitute for thumb sucking. They can affect the teeth essentially the same way as sucking fingers and thumbs. However, use of the pacifier can be controlled and modified more easily than the thumb or finger habit. If you have concerns about thumb sucking or use of a pacifier, consult with us at your next visit.

A few suggestions to help your child get through thumb sucking:

  • Do not scold your child for thumb sucking. Praise him when he does not.
  • Children often suck their thumbs when feeling insecure. Focus on correcting the cause of anxiety, instead of the thumb sucking.
  • Children who are sucking for comfort will feel less of a need when their parents provide comfort.
  • Reward your child when he refrains from sucking during difficult periods, such as when being separated from their parents.
  • Dr’s. Jeff and Derek will encourage your child to stop sucking their thumb and explain what could happen if they continue.
  • A friendly reminder for your child can often help if they want to stop the habit. A Band-Aid on the thumb or fingers after school and a glove that is difficult to remove at night.