A lot of children end up with cavities, and there is sometimes a discussion over whether to pull the tooth or to deal with a filling. Depending on the baby tooth, your dentist may recommend getting a cavity filling in Seattle. It’s going to be better for your child in the long run.

This can see odd. After all, a baby tooth is going to fall out eventually. Why get a filling? Here’s why it’s something recommended.

It’s One of the Back Baby Teeth

While baby teeth do fall out eventually, it could take until the teenage years for that to happen. Your dentist won’t want to pull one of the back molars out, even though they aren’t permanent teeth. This leads to them recommending a cavity filling in Seattle instead.

This isn’t a money-grab. It’s a way to protect the overall health of your child’s mouth. Removing these teeth will lead to the removal of the support for the other teeth. Just because the teeth are removed doesn’t mean that the adult molars will come through. This leads to a long wait, and it can cause damage to the other teeth that leads to more cavity fillings or braces.

Your dentist will want to keep the structure of the teeth for as long as possible. It will cost you less to get a filling in the long term.

When There’s a Risk of Infection

What if you’re close to the teeth falling out? In this case, your dentist may recommend just pulling the tooth. That’s especially the case if there is the adult tooth showing already. However, it’s not always the best move. Some dentists will want the teeth to fall out naturally as much as possible, and this leads to recommending a cavity filling in Seattle instead.

It’s important to do this when there is a risk of infection. A cavity left for too long can lead to an infection. The plaque builds up within the cavity. More bacteria gets into the tooth, and this leads to further decay. It will get into the nerve or into the gumline, and this leads to a much higher chance of an infection forming.

There’s also the risk of an infection setting in if the tooth is removed instead of opting for a cavity filling in Seattle. When the tooth is removed, the gap in the gum needs to be cared for, and this isn’t something smaller children can do alone.

An infection in a child’s mouth can be deadly. It can get into the bloodstream and lead to sepsis. Your dentist will want to avoid that risk, and that means recommending the filling. This can be much safer and easier, especially for younger children when they can’t look after the gap left from a removed tooth.

It may seem off at first, but your dentist may recommend a cavity filling in Seattle in a baby tooth rather than a tooth removal. This is safer for your child in the short and long term.