Kids love their sweets but there’s often a price to pay for eating too much of them — cavities — bringing oral pain and sensitivity that requires a trip to the dentist. Left untreated, cavities can progress to cause further complications to your child’s oral health down the road. That’s why regular preventive visits to the office of Perry L. Jeffries, DDS and Associates, PA will help keep your child’s teeth healthy and cavity-free throughout his or her life.
Simply put, a cavity is tooth decay and its primary cause is plaque, a sticky film that gathers in the mouth, harboring harmful bacteria. The bacteria in plaque digest the sugar to produce acids, which eat away at tooth enamel and cause cavities to form. To help avoid developing cavities, it is important for your child to brush daily, limit his or her intake of sweets, and visit our office for regular checkups.
Your child should see a dentist by his or her first birthday according to recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Association (AAPD). If you wait until your child is older, decay can be well underway. In fact, 28 percent of 2-to 5-year-olds have cavities in their primary teeth, according to The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
During a checkup, we can thoroughly remove any plaque buildup that may have missed while brushing, fill any cavities, and assess the overall condition of your child’s teeth. For our youngest patients, we make visits informative and engaging, and provide extra protection against cavities with dental sealants and fluoride treatments.
A healthy mouth makes for a happy child
At the office Perry L. Jeffries, DDS and Associates, PA, we enjoy getting to know each patient and providing your family with the highest level of quality care. For more information on the services we provide, or to schedule an appointment, give us a call today.
By Perry L. Jeffries, DDS and Associates, PA
April 23, 2023
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