Family Dentistry Phoenix, AZ

We hope that you and your family can avoid having to come to see us for a painful dental problem! Your routine dental care is what can help us achieve this goal. It's ideal to see your dentist every six months. With this schedule, it's quite likely that your teeth will feel fine, and that you won't struggle with sensitivity or toothaches. To us, it sounds like a much better way to go through life; with a healthy, pain-free smile!

Dental sealants are "plastic caps" that are placed onto molars. The durable, clear resin material is applied in liquid form. It hardens almost immediately, after which the sealant stays in place over the deep crevices that might harbor food debris and bacteria. This treatment can be extraordinarily helpful for children who tend to get cavities easily. While the plastic material does wear down over time, this usually takes five years or longer. Many dental sealants can last about 10 years. During routine dental visits, the sealants are checked carefully to ensure they are in good working order. As needed, sealants can be reapplied.

Dental sealants are incredibly beneficial not only for children but also for teens and adults of all ages! That said, it is not wise to look at sealants as 100 percent protective. They do not diminish the value of daily oral hygiene. Even after getting dental sealants, it's imperative to brush your teeth every morning and night, and also to floss every day. Remember, dental sealants seep into the deep grooves on the chewing surface of molars. Brushing and flossing remove the bacteria and acids from the areas around the plastic caps, right down to the gum line.

It's been many years since the value of fluoride was discovered. That discovery led to the widespread fluoridation of public drinking water. To understand the value of this mineral, it's important to first look at the nature of enamel. Teeth are covered with a hard outer shell of enamel, a substance that is made up of hydroxyapatite. Foods that are acidic, including soda, berries, juice, and other items, can cause what's referred to as demineralization. The enamel becomes somewhat "soft" for a short period of time after we consume such foods. The oral bacteria that naturally live in the mouth also produce acids. When fluoride is added to the mouth, a chemical reaction occurs within tooth enamel. This reaction builds the hydroxyl molecule within the hydroxylapatite that strengthens enamel. With this addition of the hydroxyl molecule, enamel remains stronger and more resilient than it would without the remineralization process.

With many adults, and also children, drinking bottled water or filtered water today, we must become more mindful about the targeted use of fluoride for healthy smiles. Here at Arcadia Dental Arts, we perform comfortable fluoride treatments as needed to continue fortifying teeth against tooth decay.