Preventive Dentistry on Long Island

Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental proudly offers pediatric preventive dentistry on Long Island, NY, with locations in Massapequa Park, Nesconset, West Islip, and Northport. Contact your local office to learn more or schedule an appointment.

Preventive dentistry encompasses all dentistry that is designed to ward off future problems. It includes, but is not limited to:

At your child’s initial appointment, and then twice per year, we will perform an extensive evaluation of not only your child’s teeth and gums, but also the head and neck. This allows us to check for any abnormalities or emerging issues before they become serious. We will also take digital X-rays as needed to check for hidden problems.

Every six months, or as directed by your child’s dentist, we will thoroughly clean your child’s teeth. This removes any built-up plaque or tartar and removes surface stains, leaving your child’s mouth clean and healthy.

We offer comprehensive fluoride treatments to strengthen the teeth and reduce the risk of tooth decay. Fluoride is applied directly to the teeth in the form of a varnish, foam, or gel.

Proper brushing, flossing, and the use of mouth rinses provide the first line of valuable protection against tooth decay and gum disease. At every appointment, we advise both the child and the caregiver on proper oral hygiene techniques.

Dental sealants form a strong resin film over the cracks and crevices of the molars. This prevents bacteria, food, and plaque from entering those crevices and causing decay.

If your child plays a sport that requires a mouth guard, we strongly encourage you to have a custom guard made in our office. Using impressions of your child’s teeth, we will create a strong, durable, properly-fitted guard that will provide the best protection against oral trauma. We can even use various sports team logos and designs for a more personalized mouth guard.

If you are on Long Island and are searching for a trustworthy dentist to provide pediatric preventive dentistry, please call our office at (516) 798-1111 (Massapequa Park), (631) 360-7337 (Nesconset), or (631) 661-7337 (West Islip) to schedule your child’s first appointment.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is often used as a sweetener in gum and toothpaste, but it has another purpose too—it reduces the risk of cavities by keeping bacteria from adhering to the surface of the teeth and helps maintain a healthy neutral pH in the mouth. Xylitol can be an excellent alternative to fluoride.

If your child is too young to understand that they need to spit out their toothpaste, we recommend opting for a fluoride-free toothpaste—the exception to this is if your child is at a particularly high risk for dental decay, in which case the benefits of fluoride toothpaste may outweigh the risks of swallowing it. Once your child spits out their toothpaste consistently, switch to a fluoride toothpaste to prevent cavities from forming.

Fluoride that is ingested through vitamins and tap water serves a different purpose than fluoride that is applied topically. Ingested fluoride helps strengthen the adult teeth when they are still forming in the jaw, making them more resistant to cavities. Topical fluoride—toothpaste, fluoride treatments, and fluoride varnishes—strengthens the teeth that are currently in your child’s mouth. Children should take fluoride vitamin supplements as directed by their pediatric dentist.

Contact your local office to schedule an appointment.