Dentist West Ridge
The first goal we have here at Family Care Dental Group is prevention. We much prefer that you never experience tooth decay at all. Everything else we do at our West Ridge dental office is secondary to that. Tooth decay leads to cavities. Large cavities can lead to root canal infections and even to tooth extractions. Prevention eliminates all that unpleasantness and that is where dental sealants come in.
The first line of defense when it comes to prevention is you, of course. By eating a diet that is nutritious and limited in sugar and other substances that can cause tooth decay, you start off on the right foot. Thorough brushing and flossing daily is also extremely important. Most of the food particles, plaque, and bacteria that has managed to hide away between your teeth can be eliminated this way. And for good measure, your twice yearly visit to our West Ridge dental office for a complete exam, x-rays, and dental cleaning helps to stay on top of any tooth decay that has begun and to remove any of the food, plaque, and bacteria that have stubbornly avoided the work of your toothbrush and dental floss.
Dental Office West Ridge
Dental sealant is yet another tool in the arsenal for prevention of tooth decay. It is a thin coating made of plastic that is painted onto the part of your teeth that does the chewing. Usually, it is done on the back teeth, bonding in to the depressions and grooves of your teeth. It then forms a barrier across your enamel that acts to keep tooth decay from getting through. If you are wondering why it might be necessary to use dental sealants when you already have such sterling oral hygiene habits, the answer is that the depressions and grooves where sealant is used are the parts of your teeth that are difficult to clean properly with brushing and flossing. By applying dental sealants, our West Ridge dental office can offer you an extra layer of protection so that food remnants and plaque cannot set about causing their mayhem and rotting your precious dental tissue.
The best news of all is that the process is not painful and only requires one visit to our West Ridge dental office to complete. The effects can last as long as 10 years and the benefits are undeniable.
