Dental cavities are a common dental problem. They are also a problem that can lead to the loss of teeth if they aren't treated early. The best way to treat cavities is to prevent them from occurring in the first place.

With the help of your dentist and preventative dentistry, cavities may never be an issue for you. The following four dental services can help to protect you from cavities.

1. Dental cleanings

Keeping your teeth clean is perhaps the most effective way of stopping cavity formation. And having your teeth cleaned twice a year keeps your teeth free of tartar and plaque, both of which contribute to cavity formation. Wherever there is plaque or tartar, you can be sure there are tooth decay-causing bacteria. By removing plaque and tartar with a dental cleaning, you keep oral bacteria away.

2. Dental exams

Dental cleanings and dental exams often come hand in hand. A dental exam will identify early or late cavities and spot any other dental issues connected to cavities, like gum disease or demineralization.

3. Dental sealants

Dental sealants are something that dentists often apply to the teeth of young children to protect them from cavities. But dental sealants can also be an effective preventative dental treatment for adults, too. Dental sealants are especially effective at protecting molars and premolars because these teeth are prone to cavities due to the pits and fissures present in them.

If you are worried that cavities might become an issue for you, then you can ask your dentist to apply dental sealants to your teeth. Dental sealants are a hard layer of protection that fills in the grooves and pits of teeth.

4. Fluoride applications

Fluoride is another treatment that you can have applied to your teeth once or twice a year, like sealants or dental cleanings. Fluoride is a natural mineral that can be found all over Earth. When fluoride mixes with calcium and the other beneficial minerals in your mouth, it forms a strong bond that strengthens enamel. The stronger your enamel is, the better your protection against cavities.

Your dentist can apply fluoride directly to your teeth in a gel or varnish. And you can even take fluoride supplements at home as a way of strengthening your teeth against cavities.

With these preventative dental treatments, dental cavities may never have to become a serious issue for you. Don't wait for cavities to become a problem. Arrange to see a local dental service so that you can create a treatment program that protects your teeth.