Preventative Dentistry in Gallatin

Preventative Dental Treatment for Children

As much as we like seeing you and your child, we want to minimize the time they spend in the dentist’s office when possible! Trailhead Pediatric Dentistry’s preventive care services are designed to keep your child’s teeth healthy and reduce the likelihood of requiring restorative treatments like fillings and crowns.

Scheduling regular checkups and preventative treatments promotes healthy oral development, limits dental anxiety, and also saves you money. Most preventative care services are covered 100% by your insurance plan.

Dental Exams

We recommend that your child sees a pediatric dentist for an exam every six months. These visits help us check tooth and gum development, spot potential issues, and ensure home care is going well. Just as important, exams give us a chance to form a positive experience with your child and make them feel comfortable in the dentist’s office.

A typical checkup also includes a cleaning and fluoride treatment. We will also review your child’s brushing and flossing habits to make sure their at-home routine is effective, or review age-appropriate tips if needed.

Dental Cleanings

No matter how well we brush and floss, we will never get all the bacteria and plaque out of our mouths. Professional cleanings allow us to remove all the tartar and plaque from your child’s teeth, preventing buildup from causing damage to the teeth and gums. We’ll also use a soft polishing cup to buff out any superficial staining, keeping your child’s teeth bright and squeaky clean.

Digital X-rays

Most children receive their first dental x-ray during their late toddler years. If your child is older and has not seen a dentist in a while, we usually start treatment with a few small x-rays to understand the full scope of their oral health.

We use x-rays to monitor tooth development and look for potential problems like infection, decay, or impacted teeth. If your child has ongoing dental disease, we may use x-rays more frequently to track their progress.

Modern dental x-rays are incredibly precise and very safe. In our office, we also take extra precautions and utilize the latest technology to limit radiation exposure.

Fluoride Treatments

Oral bacteria produce acids that eat away at tooth enamel. Over time, teeth become weak and susceptible to decay. Our fluoride treatments help reinforce the enamel, helping it guard against decay and stopping existing tooth damage from becoming worse.

We typically apply fluoride to your child’s teeth at the end of their cleaning.

Silver Diamine Fluoride

Silver Diamine Fluoride, or SDF, is an exciting treatment that has only been available since 2014. It is a mixture of silver, fluoride, water, and ammonia and can be used to treat cavities instead of fillings in some cases.

Trailhead Pediatric Dentistry uses SDF to arrest decay and in some cases prevent the need instead of traditional fillings. When recommended, we only have to brush the SDF onto the affected tooth. The liquid has been shown to freeze decay and can prevent further damage from occurring.

BPA-Free Dental Sealants

Sealants are thin shields that protect teeth from acid, bacteria, and help improve brushing efficacy. They are perfect for ensuring that the deep grooves of back teeth are protected. Sealants are usually recommended on the permanent first and second molars, which tend to erupt around age 6 and 12, give or take a year.

Since studies indicate that BPA (a chemical in plastic) may disrupt hormones, we use BPA-free sealants to avoid any potential side effects.

Sports Guards

More and more parents are asking about sports guards, and we couldn’t be happier. Your child works hard to keep their teeth healthy, and mouthguards are perfect for preventing injury during sports. Not only do these protect the teeth from chipping or being knocked loose, but sports guards keep the gums and jaw safe as well. They can also reduce the risk of a concussion.

While you can buy a sports guard over the counter, these are often uncomfortable, poor-fitting, and hard to use. Rather, we can create a custom-fit mouthguard for your child to ensure they get optimal protection and a fun experience.

Night Guards

Grinding and clenching puts a lot of pressure on teeth and can lead to cracks and chips in your child’s enamel. If your child has frequent headaches, they may be grinding their teeth.

Dr. J.D. often recommends night guards if your child experiences teeth grinding or jaw clenching habits. We recommend using a custom-fit night guard that allows your child to sleep comfortably while still offering maximum protection for their teeth.

Education and Nutritional Guidance

Some children (and parents!) need additional guidance when it comes to caring for their teeth. Whether they’re brushing incorrectly or choosing healthy drinks for teeth, we are here to offer tips on keeping their smile strong for life.

If brushing and flossing are an issue, our hygiene team can coach your child on the best, age-appropriate techniques to clean their teeth. From brushing too hard to flossing ineffectively, we’ll spot and fix any issues in their oral care routine.

During checkups, we will help review your child’s diet to ensure they’re getting the nutrients they need and avoiding sugary and other harmful foods. We may speak with you during this process to recommend alternatives to soda or snacks that are still tasty but are gentler on your child’s teeth.

Same-Day Emergency Care

Children love to play and explore the world, which sometimes leads to accidents and dental emergencies. Whether your child lost a tooth playing a sport or cracked one after slipping in the bathroom, Trailhead Pediatric Dentistry is here to help with our same-day emergency service.

Just call us to explain the situation, and we’ll do our best to find a time to treat your child’s emergency.

Reserve a Checkup Today

Children should see their pediatric dentist every six months to prevent problems before they start. Reserve an appointment today!