While openness and honesty are essential values we should all enforce and teach our children, sometimes it’s OK to have secrets…especially when it comes to tooth decay. Tooth decay and cavities are pain enough in themselves without the metal filling reminder in your mouth.
At Coastal Pediatric Dentistry®, we want all of our patients (even the tiny ones) to have a seamless, natural-looking smile, even when they need fillings. Growing up is hard enough without any added source of embarrassment or teasing (kids can be cruel)…enter tooth colored fillings.
Metal fillings of the past were not only an unsightly reminder of dental work, but were also unstable and tended to crack with changes in temperature, and also contained a small amount of mercury which is now known to be quite toxic to the human body.
Today, thankfully, we use a tooth colored resin to fill cavities and prevent further decay that’s more stable, longer-lasting, and much safer than mercury, and blends in seamlessly with their natural teeth.
Since we’re here talking about fillings, cavities, and tooth decay, we thought we’d take this opportunity to give you a quick rundown on how and why decay happens, and how to prevent it – in kid-friendly terms, of course.
So…what can you do to prevent tooth decay and cavities? Brush and floss! Your kids (just like you) should brush at least twice every day – once after breakfast, once before bed, and ideally after every meal or beverage. They should floss every night, before their nightly brushing. When brushing and flossing is not an option, rinsing with water can be very helpful.
If you’re looking for a pediatric dentist that’s gentle, fun, compassionate, and great with kids, you’ve come to the right place. If you have any questions about tooth colored fillings, or would like to schedule an appointment with your Bolivia pediatric dentists – Dr. Cecilia Liu, Dr. Jennifer Sielski, Dr. Caitlin Ferguson and Dr. Angie Baechtold at Coastal Pediatric Dentistry® – give us a call today at (910) 444-2368.
