Did you know the American Dental Association recommends taking your child for their first dental exam when their first tooth arrives, which is usually around one year old? Then, it’s ideal to schedule a routine checkup and cleaning every six months to prevent common oral concerns, like cavities and gum disease.
This allows your pediatric dentist to catch concerns, like thinning enamel, before they become problematic. Then, they can provide options to prevent tooth decay, like dental sealants or SDF (Silver Diamine Fluoride). If you’re unsure which service is best for your child, continue reading to learn more about them!
What are Dental Sealants?
Many parents and guardians assume that cavities in their child’s baby teeth don’t matter because they’ll eventually fall out anyway. However, the longer caries remains untreated, the more likely your little one is to experience progressively worsening issues, like spreading decay or disease that can impact their gums, jawbone, and adult teeth before they arrive.
Historically, pediatric dentists have relied on dental sealants to help prevent caries in still-developing smiles. This involves painting thin, plastic coatings onto the chewing surfaces of their back teeth, which acts as a barrier, shielding them from leftover food, bacteria, and plaque.
What is Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)?
In 2014, the FDA approved the use of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for treating dental hypersensitivity and preventing caries in patients, instead of the more traditional sealants. This colorless, blue-tinted liquid contains approximately 24.4% to 28.8% silver, 5% to 5.9% fluoride, and 8% ammonia. Together, these ingredients can slow or stop the progression of cavities from one tooth to another, or even prevent them from occurring in the first place. It’s also used to ease aches associated with cavities or thinning enamel.
Which Treatment is Right for My Child?
If you’re unsure whether your child should receive dental sealants or SDF, the best way to decide is to consult their pediatric dentist, who can make recommendations that take their unique needs into account. SDF continues to gain popularity as an easy and effective preventive service as more dentists and patients recognize its many advantages.
For example, in 2017, researchers from the New York University College of Dentistry received funds to run a school-based cavity prevention study, called CariedAway. This involved providing baseline dental exams to nearly 3,000 kindergarten through third-grade students who represented racially diverse backgrounds. Then, they applied either dental sealants or SDF and examined the children again years later.
Their findings suggest that, although SDF and dental sealants both prevent about 80% of cavities, the former stopped 56% of caries from progressing, while sealants only prevented 46%.
Thankfully, both methods can help reduce tooth decay, meaning your pediatric dentist can help safeguard your child’s smile either way!
About the Practice
At The Dental Specialists Pediatric Dentistry, your family benefits from two board-certified pediatric dentists with more than 15 years of combined experience. Dr. Hui and Dr. Nelson collaborate to provide a variety of services to kids aged 0 to 18 to help them build and maintain happy, healthy smiles. They take the time to get to know your child’s unique needs, then utilize state-of-the-art technology to help them feel comfortable while delivering accurate treatment results. If you’re concerned your child has cavities, you can request an appointment on the website or call (972) 364-7472.