Children need regular professional cleanings to maintain good oral health. Parents should use a damp cloth or toothbrush to clean their children’s teeth every day, but it’s important to let a hygienist examine the teeth and gums for early signs of decay. Your child’s hygienist will:
This sticky substance made of bacteria and saliva builds up on teeth and gums, eating away the enamel and causing cavities. When plaque hardens and becomes tartar, only dental tools can remove the tartar. Plaque and tartar are the catalysts for periodontal disease.
Polishing the teeth ensures that all remaining plaque and stains are gone, for a healthy, happy smile!
With so many parents using bottled water today, children miss out on the benefits of fluoridated tap water. Fluoride strengthens teeth to protect them from cavities.
Smile Explorers suggests parents bring their children in for a professional cleaning every six months unless we determine a different schedule is needed for your child. But kids dental care starts at home.
While we firmly believe that the advantages of X-rays are significantly greater than the associated risks, questions regarding the radiation exposure from dental X-rays continue to be among the most frequently asked in the field of dentistry.
Radiation quantity is quantified in Sieverts, a unit that gauges the impact of minimal amounts of ionizing radiation on the human body. Given that a Sievert constitutes a substantial dosage, measurements are typically conducted in millisieverts for practicality.
• Bite-wing (2) X-ray: .004 mSv
• Periapical (2) X-ray: .004 mSv
• Panoramic X-ray: .007 mSv
• Cone Beam scan for oral surgery/ortho: .009 mSv
• CT scan of head: 2.00 mSv
• X-ray of an extremity: .001 mSv
• CT scan of chest: 8.00 mSv
• Mammogram (two dimensional): .700 mSv
• Flight from New York to LA: .04 mSv
• Airport security scan: 0.00025 mSv
• Eating a banana: .00010 mSv
• Sleeping next to someone: .00005 mSv
• Using a CRT monitor for one year: .001 mSv
• Background dose received by average person on an average day: .01 mSv
• Average background dose per person per year (natural background radiation): 2.4 mSv
