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Preventive Dental Care

At Westpark Pediatric Dentistry, we enjoy teaching children and their families how to keep their oral health in excellent condition, beginning with prevention. Happy smiles are built with this firm foundation.

Get started with the smile fundamentals today!

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Nailing the basics makes dental visits easy, breezy.

Being free from dental infection means being free to roam and fully enjoy learning, growing, eating, and playing!

Oral Hygiene

Keep decay & disease away.

Most children (and adults) don’t give their mouths a lot of thought, but they’re complex microenvironments that are so much more than meets the eye. In fact, it’s microscopic bacteria that requires fighting on a daily basis to keep their smiles bright and healthy.

Oh, did we mention there are thousands of those bacteria? Most are neutral or beneficial, but the types that aren’t can do heavy damage. To guard against the damage, your little one will want to make toothbrush, paste, and dental floss their trusty sidekicks.

Before your baby has teeth, gently brush their gums with damp cloths after feedings.
When their first tooth arrives, introduce soft-bristled brushes and brush gently.
Use just a “rice grain” of toothpaste at first; pea-sized for older children.
We gladly give technique tips for brushing, flossing, & products to use!

Sealants

Quick & painless prevention strengthening.

Dental sealants are a tremendously helpful tool for kids with still-developing hygiene skills. We like to think of them as raincoats for the chewing surfaces of teeth, where food particles combine with plaque, and, if missed by floss and a toothbrush, lead to enamel erosion.

We highly recommend the application of sealants on molars when they erupt, because their cusps and grooves are especially susceptible to erosion. Though sealants have been found to be up to 80% effective in cavity prevention, they’re not a substitute for good oral hygiene routines!

The CDC reports: “school-age children without sealants have almost 3x more cavities.”
Sealants are tooth-colored & can be applied in one easy visit.
Dental sealants take the brunt of erosion from plaque & food debris.
To ensure the longevity of sealants, brushing & flossing habits must be maintained.

Silver Diamine Fluoride

Don’t let decay deepen.

A common misconception dentists have been trying to dispel for decades is that baby teeth aren’t very important because of their impermanence. Baby teeth set the stage for adult teeth, and decay can cause their premature loss among a host of other negative health consequences.

Those negative health consequences include the inability to maintain a healthy diet and speech patterns, result in missed school, and decreased confidence. We know no parent wants their child to experience this, so if we catch decay, we may recommend stopping it in its tracks with Silver Diamine Fluoride.

Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) is a liquid substance made of silver, water, fluoride, & ammonia.
When applied to cavities, SDF prevents decay from expanding & provides instant pain relief.
SDF can be applied without the need for a dental drill or local anesthetic.
Silver kills bacteria while the fluoride prevents the loss of more enamel.

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Help your child’s smile grow along with them.