Blog

When choosing different types of dental care, you need to have a good idea of how the type of care works. Dental sealants are one type of dental care that might be recommended to you. This quick guide will provide you with some information on this topic, so that you can make smart dental health decisions.

Cavity Prevention

Dental sealants are a type of dental care you receive that help to prevent cavities. According to the CDC, it is estimated that dental sealants help to prevent 80% of cavities in a 2-year span. They are especially useful for the back teeth. 9 out of 10 cavities occur in the back teeth. You need all the help you can get to prevent these vulnerable teeth from developing cavities. If you are concerned about cavities, you can talk to our dentist about sealants.

How Do Sealants Work?

When your dentist puts a sealant on your teeth, they will coat the teeth with a clear liquid. This liquid dries, creating a solid covering for the tooth. This covering protects the tooth underneath from developing cavities.

Is It Painful To Get Sealants?

No, there is no pain involved in getting sealants. You will simply plan a visit with your dentist and have the clear coatings applied.

Will Sealants Change the Appearance of My Teeth?

No, sealants are made of clear coating. This coating does not change the appearance of your teeth at all. In most cases, sealants are applied to the back teeth only, since these are the teeth most vulnerable to cavities. The sealants are not visible on the back teeth and are clear. The appearance of your teeth will not be change at all.

Can Children Have Sealants Put On Their Teeth?

Yes, children can have sealants put on their back molars. Your dentist will recommend when a child should have this procedure done. Sealants are usually put on the back molars, so obviously you would need to wait until your child’s back molars are in before having the sealants applied.

If you are concerned about cavities, you can talk to our dentistry professional about the possibility of having sealants applied to your teeth. This is a great way to fight cavities. Our office offers all dental services under one roof, so you can ensure your entire smile is healthy. Contact us today for more information on dental sealants.

Parents spend a lot of time trying to help their children prioritize the right things. Dental care and oral health are definitely top categories that children need assistance with. Oral health issues can quickly escalate into bigger problems when proper habits are not observed. According to the CDC, about 34 million school hours are lost every year just because of emergency dental. This also results in about $45 billion dollars of lost U.S. productivity. The untreated dental disease could have been avoided through better oral health habits. This quick guide will give you some tips on how to help your child prioritize their oral health.

1. Be a Good Example

One of the most powerful ways you can influence your child’s oral health habits is by being a good example yourself. Children are watching how you take care of yourself, and whether you realize it or not, those habits do seep into their brains over time. Make sure that you are exhibiting good oral health habits on a regular basis for your children to model after.

2. Prioritize Dental Visits

Children also need to see that you set a high priority on visiting the dentist on a regular basis yourself. If children notice that you do not visit the dentist and do not care if dental visits are missed, then they will not think this is an important aspect of their overall health. Even though fitting in dental visits can feel like a chore sometimes, it is crucial to your child’s long-term dental health that you make and keep dental visits. Not only does this model good habits for them but getting that dental care at a young age will also help keep their teeth healthy.

3. Put Oral Health on a Schedule

Just like with many things in life, oral health habits are often easier to establish when they are set on a schedule. Your children know that there is a schedule for certain things. They must get up at a certain time for school, they must do homework at a certain time, and they must go to bed at a certain time. They should know to practice oral health habits at a certain time as well.

If you want your children to have healthy teeth and good health habits for life, follow these simple tips. Our Lowell Dentists specialize in helping patients maintain their health and improve their self-confidence through perfecting their smiles. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment.

Hospitals aren’t the only places to go to treat an accident or health issue. Any dental issue you must deal with immediately, calls for emergency dental care. If you’re not sure what constitutes such an emergency, read on to learn more.

Extreme Pain

There are times when your teeth or gums may cause you extreme pain. According to Vox, over 5 million wisdom teeth are extracted every year. If your wisdom tooth is impacted and possibly decayed, it may begin to throb and require immediate extraction. Major pain may come from deep decay. Once decay has gone down to the root, you may have ongoing pain that will keep you up at night, and need a root canal.

Bleeding

Your teeth or gums can bleed after trauma or due to underlying reasons. However, the reason and level of bleeding can affect if it qualifies as an emergency. For example, you may be in the first stages of gum disease and have some bleeding when you brush. If that happens, you can make an appointment. However, if you fall, have an accident, or get hit in the face, it may result in major bleeding and trauma that you should tend to immediately.

Loose or Knocked Out Teeth

If you or your child is active and plays sports, using a mouth guard is a great way to protect a tooth from becoming loose or knocked out. If you do lose a tooth, pick it up by the chewing surface, gently clean and put it in some milk if you can’t reinsert it. According to the American Association of Endodontists, you can save a knocked-out tooth if you go to emergency dental care services in 30 minutes or up to an hour.

Infection

Infection is never good for any part of your body, and your mouth is no different. If you have a tooth infection and you let it go, you may end up losing the tooth and possibly do more damage to other parts of your mouth and body. Signs of an infection include throbbing pain or a dental abscess.

You may need to see a dentist beyond your regular appointments. Whether you suffer dental trauma or infection, experiencing bleeding or pain keeping you awake at night, visit our local office today. Our caring and professional staff are here to provide expert emergency dental care.