Preventative Dentistry at Mills Dental Care
Preventing Oral Disease in Port Moresby
Fluoride is found in toothpaste and mouthwash, and we can also add fluoride directly to your teeth to help prevent decay.
Many years ago scientists started to notice that children who were born and raised in areas with natural fluoride in drinking water had fewer cavities than children in other areas. Fluoride absorbed by your body when teeth were forming (during mother’s pregnancy to early childhood) integrates into the structure of enamel and makes it stronger.
After teeth eruption, fluoride can be found in things like your toothpaste or mouthwash. We can also place prescription-grade fluoride directly to your teeth, greater reducing your chance of tooth decay. We recommend fluoride on all children and cavity-prone adults.
Pit and Fissure Sealants
The top surfaces of your teeth, where the chewing takes place, aren’t smooth and flat. They are covered with tiny grooves and valleys, called pits and fissures. These are areas where plaque can build up safe from your toothbrush and floss. Some of the pits and fissures are so narrow that even a single bristle from your toothbrush can’t get deep enough to clean them out. As a result, they are more prone to developing cavities.
One method of preventing cavities from developing in these areas is to seal them off with a special varnish called a pit and fissure sealant. If your dentist determines that you need a sealant to help protect your teeth from decay, some special steps are taken to prepare the tooth first. Once the tooth is cleaned, a mild etching agent is applied the surface, making it easier for the sealant to stick.
Keeping the area dry and away from your saliva during the application is very important. If the tooth gets wet, the sealant might not stick properly. Once everything is ready, your dentist “paints” the sealant right over the pits and fissures on the tooth surface. A special kind of light cures the sealant and makes it ready for use. The whole procedure is quick and painless.
Ask how spending a couple of extra minutes at your appointment for a fluoride treatment or sealant could keep your teeth healthier. Contact Mills Dental Care today to get started.