Do you have an infant at home who struggles to latch during breastfeeding, or a child you suspect might be developing more severe cavities or periodontal disease? If so, it’s time to contact their pediatric dentist!
Your child’s oral healthcare provider offers a variety of services using state-of-the-art technology, including dental lasers, to quickly identify and address any areas of concern. Continue reading below to learn about 3 ways your kid’s provider can use this instrument to enhance their dental health!
Benefit #1: Detect & Treat Cavities
Many dentists use the light provided by dental lasers to help identify tooth decay. Their device emits a safe, low-intensity beam that they can shine onto your child’s teeth. Healthy enamel reflects the light back normally, but cavities absorb it and glow differently. This can help your child’s provider identify thinning enamel to offer preventive treatments, like applying topical fluoride or placing a sealant, to strengthen their tooth before a cavity can form.
Lasers can also be used to target cavities to help remove sections of decayed enamel. The focused beam of light allows for more precise removal and causes less pain, which helps reduce the need for anesthesia or sedatives.
Benefit #2: Treat Lip and Tongue Ties
Would you be surprised to learn that an estimated 5% to 10% of babies are born with a lip or tongue tie? This condition occurs when the band of tissue, or frenulum, under their tongue and behind their gums is too tight, short, or thick. This restricts their mouth’s range of motion, which can potentially impact their dental development.
For example, they might not latch properly to nurse correctly and might become malnourished or gassy. If left unaddressed, their condition can also affect their speech development and how their teeth grow in.
Fortunately, your child’s pediatric dentist can free their frenulum with a dental laser, which provides several advantages. Not only does it cause less pain than a traditional scalpel, but it also cauterizes the wound right away to reduce bleeding.
Benefit #3: Address Periodontal Problems
It can be challenging to encourage children to brush and floss their teeth, but if they neglect their at-home oral hygiene, they might develop gum disease. Although periodontal problems start out small, they’re often able to progress to more advanced stages before they exhibit noticeable symptoms.
If your child’s gums look dark, swollen, or tend to bleed when they bite, chew, or floss, they might already have a problem. In some cases, a dental laser can be used to gently and carefully remove damaged tissue to halt the disease’s progression before it worsens.
As you can see, there are several ways that your pediatric dentist can use a specially designed laser to improve your child’s oral health!
Meet the Author
Dr. Amar Singh takes pride in teaching children learn the value of proper preventive care while helping them build and maintain happy, healthy smiles. He earned his dental doctorate from Howard University College of Dentistry, and today, is a Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist. His welcoming and caring approach is combined with state-of-the-art equipment, including a LightScalpel CO2 laser, to offer more comfortable, accurate treatments. If you think your child might have developed a dental problem requiring attention, you can request an appointment on the website or call (215) 874-3786.