It’s Better To Prevent A Cavity Than Fill One

At Kernagis Dental Excellence in Tampa, the goal of our preventative dentistry is to maintain the dental health of all our patients, so that no restorative dental work is ever required.

In other words, preventing dental caries, gum disease, and enamel wear. Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing is a good beginning. It is also imperative that you get checkups and dental cleanings twice a year. With little ones, dental sealants might also be a good option.

Dental sealants are a thin plastic covering, commonly used on the very back teeth. These teeth are especially susceptible to trapped food particles, and are the hardest ones to brush. The goal of a sealant is to guard a tooth against decay, which is always preferable to filling a cavity.

Despite efforts to keep children’s teeth healthy, many children develop cavities during their childhood years. Since the rate of tooth decay generally declines with age, if teeth remain intact during childhood, there is a better chance that these teeth can stay healthy for decades.

Fillings, inlays/onlays and crowns do a great job at saving teeth from extraction, but they don’t last forever. When a 10 year-old gets a cavity in a brand-new permanent tooth, that tooth will probably need periodic attention throughout his life – even if no additional decay arises. Once the enamel has been eaten away by acids, the tooth is forever weakened.

Children should be taught how to properly brush while young. However, parents should still supervise brushing and go over the teeth after the child brushes. If your child struggles with flossing, a water irrigation tool may be useful. Floss picks can also be easier to handle than a string of floss. Traditional flossing done correctly, however, is the most effective way to clean between teeth.

Don’t believe that dentures are an inevitably for people when they reach their golden years. There are plenty of people in their seventies and beyond with all teeth intact.

At Kernagis Dental Excellence in Tampa, we want all our patients to have healthy teeth and gums for a lifetime. We provide general and cosmetic dentistry. Schedule your next appointment with us today.

Contact Kernagis Dental Excellence:

813-863-9058

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 W Busch Blvd Ste C
Tampa, Florida
33612