North Richland Hill, TX Preventative Dentistry Services

Preventing dental problems in your children and teenagers is our top priority, and probably yours as well. After all, it’s far easier to give your child’s smile the care it needs now and to keep it healthy rather than undergoing treatments like dental fillings and root canals once problems arise. Our North Richland Hills, TX, pediatric dentist Dr. Jody Cremer and her dental team at NRH Pediatric Dentistry offer several preventive dental treatments to preserve your child’s beautiful, healthy smile.

Routine Checkups

Once your child turns one year old, it’s time for their first dental checkup. From there on out, you’ll want to bring your child to the dentist every six months for routine cleanings, exams and X-rays. Just as your child is growing by leaps and bounds your child’s smile is also growing and developing rapidly, and you need a dentist who will be able to make sure that everything is developing as it should. These routine checkups also ensure a thorough dental cleaning, which removes plaque and tartar buildup to prevent cavities and disease.

Dental Sealants

While proper home care is crucial for healthy teeth and gums, we also know that molars are particularly susceptible to decay. No matter whether your child is at a high risk for cavities or not, getting dental sealants could preserve their back teeth and provide additional protection against decay. Sealants are thin plastic coatings that are applied over the chewing surfaces of your child’s molars to prevent food and bacteria from getting trapped within the ridges of these teeth. This simple preventive measure could protect their teeth a year or more.

Fluoride

It’s also important that your child is getting enough fluoride in their diet. Fluoride is a mineral found in water and certain foods, and it helps to keep enamel strong while preventing decay. During your child’s dental checkups, we can determine whether or not they may benefit from fluoride treatment, especially if they aren’t getting enough fluoride through their diet alone. This could reduce your child’s risk for cavities.

Mouthguard

If your child is about to play sports, it’s important that you protect their smiles as much as the rest of them before they go out on that field. While you can choose to get an over-the-counter mouthguard at your local pharmacy, a dentist can custom make a sports guard that will fit perfectly over your child’s teeth for a superior fit and better protection. Before your child starts participating in sports, talk with our pediatric dental team about getting a custom-fitted mouthguard.

 Preventive dental care can also:

• Dramatically lower your risk of tooth decay, dental abscesses, and other dental problems
• Dramatically lower your risk of gum disease and periodontal disease
• Provide knowledge, tools, and techniques so you can keep your smile healthy at home between dental appointments

If you have questions about the pediatric dentistry care, we offer, or if you need to schedule a cleaning for your child or teen, call NRH Pediatric Dentistry at (817) 427-1700