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The painful sensitivity that accompanies cavities seems like it happens suddenly. One day your child is fine and the next they’re feeling a sharp pain when enjoying ice cream for dessert. Despite the seemingly fast onset of pain, conditions like cavities and gum disease do not form overnight. They develop because of continually poor dental care.

What Causes Cavities & Gum Disease?

Bacteria cause most oral health problems. Bacteria in the mouth eat sugar and release acid as a byproduct that slowly disintegrates tooth enamel, resulting in cavities. Other oral bacteria also collects under the gum line, and, when not removed through proper dental care practices like flossing and regular dental cleanings, eventually infects the gums, causing redness, inflammation, and bleeding.

How Long Do They Take to Develop?

dental careDentists recommend teeth cleanings and exams every six months to clean the buildup of plaque on teeth as well as detect cavities and gum disease in the beginning stages, when they’re most manageable. Cavities take months or sometimes years to form and reach the interior tissues of the tooth, although younger children tend to develop cavities quicker. The advancement of gum disease depends on a child’s dental care and current health. 

To avoid the pain and treatment costs associated with cavities and gum disease, make sure your child follows a proper dental care routine. This involves brushing twice a day, flossing once a day, and seeing their pediatric dentist every six months. Also try to limit their sugar intake.

 

When you’re looking for dependable pediatric dentists on Oahu and Maui, bring your children to Pedodontic Associates. For more than 25 years, their 6 dentists at 3 locations spanning both islands have provided exceptional dental care to children of all ages. A Better Business Bureau® accredited office, they were named “Best Dentists in Hawaii in 2011-2018” by Honolulu Magazine. Learn more about pediatric dental care online, or call one of their offices to make an appointment: (808) 735-1733 for Honolulu, (808) 487-7933 for Aiea, and (808) 877-0066 for Kahului.

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