DIAGNOdent at Alliance Family Dental

Our children’s teeth are especially vulnerable to decay. They are much less experienced at brushing properly and are more prone to enjoy sugary snacks than adults. These two factors alone make a child’s mouth the perfect playground for cavity-causing bacteria. This being said, maintaining their oral health is often a mix of preventing and treating cavities. At Alliance Family Dental, we know that detecting cavities in children quickly and painlessly is important. In order to do this, we use DIAGNOdent. This technology is an advanced and effective way to find cavities in children and adults alike.

Why Are Cavities in Children So Prevalent?

There are many reasons why children are very likely to develop cavities. For starters, children younger than ever are developing extensive tooth decay.

Why?

Parents of young children often think that their child does not need to see the dentist until their permanent teeth come in. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Children should start seeing a dentist at their first birthday. When baby teeth suffer from tooth decay, the bacteria and decay is often transferred to the permanent teeth.

Additionally, children often do not develop proper brushing habits until 8 or 9. Until then, a parent should help and monitor while their children brush their teeth. A child’s diet can also affect their oral health. Sugary foods and acidic drinks can wreck havoc in a child’s mouth. Click here for more information on the risk factors for the development of cavities.

Detecting Cavities with DIAGNOdent

Now that you know what causes cavities in children, you have more power to prevent decay. However, there is still the issue of “hidden” cavities in children. That is, cavities that form deep inside the tooth.

Because many children get a healthy amount of fluoride from water, toothpastes and rinses, the outsides of their teeth are more protected than ever from decay. However, bacteria can still form on the inside of the tooth. Sometimes, these cavities are the hardest for dentists to detect because they are virtually invisible to the naked eye.

At Alliance Family Dental, we eliminate the difficult task of detecting cavities only with the human eye. Instead, we rely on advanced technology such as DIAGNOdent. This system assists the dentist in detecting cavities using laser technology. The laser allows the dentist to examine the inside of the tooth to detect decay earlier than has ever been possible. With DIAGNOdent, parents can rest assured that any and all tooth decay will be found and treated as early as possible. For more information on how DIAGNOdent helps detect cavities in children and adults, visit our office or call us today at (910) 868-4664(910) 868-4664.

Photo Credit: Identity Station