Preventative dental care at Greater Houston Pediatric Dentistry helps children avoid potential dental and oral health conditions and protects against more serious conditions (and potentially more expensive treatments!) before they develop.

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What is preventative dental care?

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Preventative pediatric dental care, as it sounds, is the broad category of treatment provided by your dentist to help your child maintain healthy teeth and gums. Treatment is intended to prevent oral disease and any other dental problems that may arise without proper care.

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Why is preventative care necessary?

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Just like you change the oil in your car to keep the engine running smoothly or take your child to the pediatrician for well-child checkups and to follow the recommended immunization schedule, preventative dentistry is necessary to prevent serious oral or dental health conditions from developing. When preventative care is neglected, the conditions which may arise from neglect can be costly, invasive and require extensive treatment from your pediatric dentist or possibly additional dental specialists, such as orthodontists or endodontists.

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Types of Prevention

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BPA-Free Sealants

 

BPA-free sealants are recommended on permanent molars with deep pits and grooves to help prevent cavities from forming. 

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Fluoride Prescription Toothpaste

 

At Greater Houston Pediatric Dentistry, our dentists may recommend a special toothpaste for your child to use at home if he or she is determined to be at higher risk for developing cavities.

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Space Maintainers

 

When a baby tooth falls out early, teeth can shift to close the space. We can fabricate "retainers" to help hold teeth in place so that they do not shift. This will help preserve as much space as possible for the new tooth underneath.

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Habit Appliances

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We counsel parents and offer suggestions on how to stop habits (thumb, pacifier, finger habit) at home. When these methods do not work, special appliances can be fabricated to help stop the habit and prevent unfavorable jaw growth.