Why Are Tooth Fillings Necessary for Your Health?
Cavities wreak havoc even to the best of smiles. These small holes (cavities) compromise the structure and appearance of the teeth. If you don’t get dental fillings in Martinsville, then you risk losing your teeth.
Cavities are not uncommon. In fact, they affect countless lives worldwide, with children being the most vulnerable. That’s why our pediatric dentist in Martinsville, Dr. Brown, focuses on treating those small pearly whites to ensure that cavities and other dental issues don’t destroy their teeth.
Dealing with cavities is essential since it helps your kid retain their teeth and saves you money that you might have to use for invasive and extensive dental procedures down the line if the cavity isn’t treated.
In any case, let’s take a look at why you should not let cavities on your kid’s teeth remain untreated.
Cavities Weaken Tooth Structure
We’ve got millions of bacteria in our mouths, good and harmful, which continuously compete for available resources. The small ecosystem always hangs on a balance and depends on your oral habits. If you go for sugary or starchy foods, you are definitely choosing to feed the harmful bacteria that cause plaque.
When the harmful bacteria find sugary foods, they quickly swarm around and begin digesting the food debris. Shortly after, a thin film known as plaque will coat the teeth. Plaque contains food debris, bacteria, and saliva.
As the bacteria digest the sugary foods, it releases acids, which begin to corrode the teeth slowly. In other words, some of the essential minerals that keep the teeth sturdy will be lost. If you don’t brush using fluoridated toothpaste after meals to remove plaque, then the process of corrosion will continue, meaning more minerals are lost each day.
Eventually, when the minerals are not replenished, the tooth’s outer covering becomes compromised, leading to the formation of small holes that we call cavities.
When your kid has cavities, it means that their teeth have holes; therefore, they are weak. If you don’t visit our kid’s dentist in 24112 for treatment, the tooth might get weaker, the hole will become larger, and the tooth will be susceptible to further damage.
The loss of minerals without replacing them causes the tooth to weaken; that’s why we tell all our patients to steer from sugary treats and brush their teeth using fluoridated toothpaste to help strengthen the teeth.
Restoring the Function of the Tooth
When you bring your child for a dental checkup, our kid’s dentist in Martinsville, VA, will check the teeth for any dental issues, such as cavities. If some teeth have cavities, our dentist will recommend an appointment to treat the cavities.
When your child returns for treatment, our dentist will remove the decayed part using a dental drill. After the decayed part is out, our dentist will shape the space to ensure that the filling will have enough space. The cavity must be filled since it helps maintain the shape and protect the tooth from further damage.
The tooth filling will restore the tooth to its original function because it fills the gaps and helps maintain its original shape. Therefore, your child can chew and bite without risking further damage to the tooth.
It’s even better if your child gets high-quality fillings since they last longer. However, you might still need to bring them for replacements since fillings were not designed to last a lifetime.
Are Dental Fillings Right for You?
There is no one-size-fits-all dental treatment. That’s why our dentist has to meet with each patient to decide whether a certain treatment is a way to go. Therefore, you can expect an initial appointment with our dentist, which involves dental examinations and consultations.
Our dentist will examine your kid’s teeth to look for tooth decay signs. If there are signs of tooth decay, then the next thing will be to determine the extent of the damage. The extent of the damage will help our dentist know the appropriate treatment for your child’s case.
It is not obvious that if you have a cavity that fillings are the go-to option. At times, inlays, onlays, or crowns could be the best solution. So, the only way to know if fillings are right for your kid is if our dentist examines the teeth.
Therefore, contact us at Kids First Dental to schedule an appointment with our dentist.