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Preventative Care
Sealants
A sealant is a thin plastic material placed on the chewing surface of permanent back teeth to act as a barrier to tooth decay. The sealant bonds to the tooth surface so that plaque bacteria cannot get into the pits and fissures.
Sealant information from the State of Oregon's Web site:
Fluoride
Fluoride is the key reason cavities have been reduced dramatically during the past few decades. Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in all water sources. Research has shown that fluoride not only reduces cavities in children and adults, it also helps repairs the early stages of tooth decay even before the decay is visible.
- Dietary fluoride supplements are available by prescription for children aged 6 months to 16 years who live in non-fluoridated areas such as Oregon.
- Fluoride is effective in preventing and reversing the early signs of tooth decay. Research has shown that it strengthens the tooth structure; making it stronger and more resistant to acid attacks. Acid is formed when the bacteria in plaque break down carbohydrates in the foods we eat. Repeated acid attacks break down the tooth, causing cavities. Fluoride also repairs, or re-mineralizes, areas in which acid attacks have already started. Re-mineralization reverses early decay and creates a more resistant tooth surface.
- When your child is 2-3 years of age begin using fluoridated toothpaste.
- Use only a pea sized dab of fluoride toothpaste for your child.
Article
Fluoride- Nature’s Cavity Fighter
Fluoride and Fluoridation
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