At Dentistry for Children, we believe the best dental care starts with prevention. Our goal is to partner with families to establish healthy oral hygiene habits early, monitor your child’s growing smile, and help prevent dental problems before they begin. Preventive care goes beyond routine cleanings and exams, it also includes education, guidance, and protective treatments that strengthen developing teeth and reduce the risk of cavities and dental injuries.
Explore the ways we help protect your child’s smile, from building healthy habits at home and maintaining routine preventive care to understanding treatments designed to support every stage of development.
Did you know that tooth decay is the the most common long-term childhood disease? There are many factors that influence your child’s susceptibility to decay. Your child may have softer enamel or reduced saliva quantity or quality. There may even be a family history of susceptibility/genetic component to tooth decay. However, despite your child’s susceptibility, tooth decay is entirely preventable.
When we consider cavity prevention, we focus on what we can control which is hygiene, habits, and diet. All of which are essential to staying cavity free.
A strong oral hygiene routine starts early and grows with your child. Routine preventive visits with our team allow us to monitor your child’s developing smile, provide professional cleanings, check for early signs of dental concerns, and help your family build habits that support lifelong oral health.
At home, brushing twice a day and flossing once a day are essential for removing plaque and controlling the bacteria that contribute to tooth decay. The key is effective brushing, not just completing the routine. We encourage parents to actively help with brushing until children are around 9–10 years old or can consistently demonstrate proper brushing and flossing techniques on their own. Even when children begin brushing independently, close supervision and a parent’s final “check” help ensure all areas are cleaned well.
Establishing these habits early helps children become comfortable with oral care and makes daily routines easier as they grow.
Watch our Systematic Brushing video for a step-by-step guide to happy brushing!
The habits your child develops early can have a lasting impact on their oral health and overall well-being. Beyond daily hygiene and nutrition choices, certain behaviors can influence the way your child’s teeth and jaws develop. We encourage families to establish healthy routines from the start, including limiting prolonged bottle use, avoiding frequent snacking throughout the day, and helping children move away from habits like thumb sucking and pacifier use at the appropriate time.
These habits are a normal part of early childhood development, and our team is here to provide guidance and support as your child grows. By addressing these behaviors early and creating consistent routines at home, you can help protect your child’s developing smile and set the foundation for healthy choices that last a lifetime.
Pediatricians recommend breast/bottle feeding exclusively for the first six months. Once teeth begin to appear, frequent or prolonged breast/bottle feeding and snacking should be avoided as cavity-causing bacteria feed on sugars and starches. Baby should never be put to bed with a bottle. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no juice until one year of age, and even then juice is not a necessary or desirable part of a healthy diet for children and ideally should be avoided all together.
Whole, natural foods — filled with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals — help your child grow smart, strong, tall and beautiful. But they support healthy teeth and gums too. Encourage your kids to choose the good stuff!
Because parents generally get good nutrition into kids at mealtimes, changing up snack options offers the most potential for positive impact.
Dental sealants are a simple and effective way to provide extra protection against cavities. A thin, protective coating is applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, where deep grooves can easily trap food and bacteria. Once in place, the sealant bonds to the tooth and helps shield these vulnerable areas from decay, reducing the risk of cavities and supporting long-term oral health.
Fluoride treatment is a safe and effective way to help strengthen your child’s teeth and prevent cavities. It works by remineralizing enamel, making teeth more resistant to decay caused by bacteria and sugars. Fluoride is routinely recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry as part of a preventive dental care plan for children. When applied regularly during dental visits, it provides an extra layer of protection to support a healthy, growing smile.
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) is a safe, non-invasive treatment used to help slow or “freeze” the progression of cavities. Applied directly to areas of tooth decay, SDF works by strengthening tooth structure and reducing the bacteria that cause cavities. It can be a helpful option for young children, patients with special healthcare needs, or situations where traditional restorative treatment may be difficult. By helping to stabilize decay early, SDF can often delay or reduce the need for more extensive dental treatment.
Custom mouthguards help protect your child’s teeth during sports and activities where contact or falls may occur. Designed for a comfortable fit, they absorb impact and help reduce the risk of chipped, damaged, or knocked-out teeth, while also protecting the lips, cheeks, and jaw.
Nightguards help protect teeth from the effects of grinding or clenching while your child sleeps. By creating a protective barrier between the teeth, they can help reduce wear, chipping, and jaw discomfort. If signs of grinding are present, our team may recommend a custom nightguard to protect your child’s developing smile.
