Caries Risk Assessment
We provide caries risk assessments for infants and children between the ages of 0 and 5 to get ahead of early childhood tooth decay and cavities. Based on various factors (if your child sleeps with a bottle with juice or other sugary drinks, if your child regularly consumes sugary drinks, if your child regularly consumes sugary foods, etc.), we’ll determine if your little one is at a low, moderate, or high risk of developing cavities. Depending on the results, we’ll create a plan to keep your child’s smile healthy and safe from tooth decay.
Best Candidates for Caries Risk Assessments
Infants and children between the ages of 0 and 5 years old are the best candidates for Caries Risk Assessments. Baby teeth play a vital role in your child’s dental health. Not only do they help them chew and speak properly, but they also hold space for their adult teeth. If tooth decay takes hold and causes cavities, it can affect your little one’s oral health for years to come. That’s why it’s crucial to get ahead of the problem before it becomes a larger issue and provide protection for their baby teeth.
What to Expect
When you bring your child in for a Caries Risk Assessment, we’ll ask you seven questions to identify any relevant risk factors. Then, we’ll perform an in-depth dental exam to search for obvious white spots, enamel defects, plaque, or obvious decay on your little one’s teeth. If their risk level is moderate or high, we’ll develop a personalized plan to eliminate any existing tooth decay and cavities using minimally invasive treatments. If their risk is high, we’ll likely include fluoride and antibacterial therapy to strengthen your child’s teeth and slow caries development.
To protect your little one’s dental health outside the office, we may give you some at-home care recommendations to manage and control tooth decay. These can include self-care goals to keep up with until your next appointment.
Follow-Up
After three to six months, we’ll schedule a follow-up appointment to check up on your child’s progress and self-care goals. Based on their dental health, we’ll either relax the treatment plan or adjust it to take care of any newly developed issues.
As always, you should make sure your child is brushing twice and flossing once every day. If they’re too young to take care of their teeth themselves, stay consistent with daily care and do your best to instill healthy oral habits as they grow up. Like with healthy food choices, children who develop healthy oral habits at a young age usually stick with them over time and into adulthood.
Insurance Coverage
Caries Risk Assessments are considered preventive procedures and are typically covered under Medi-Cal Dental. Dental Express accepts Medi-Cal at all six of our San Diego locations, making this treatment easily accessible. When you come in for your assessment, one of our planners will meet with you to determine your coverage. If you have dental insurance, most plans will cover all or part of the cost. If you’re uninsured, we’ll find an affordable solution.
Caries Risk Assessments
At Dental Express, we take early childhood caries seriously. During a Caries Risk Assessment, we check your child’s teeth thoroughly for signs of tooth decay. If your little one is at risk or showing signs of decay, we’ll provide prompt, quality dental care to restore their oral health and safeguard their baby teeth. Ensuring your child grows up with a happy, healthy smile is our top priority. If you’d like to learn more about Caries Risk Assessments, get in touch with us at one of our offices in San Diego to schedule an appointment or ask any questions you may have.
