Things Every Parent Should Know About Dental Sealants 

Dental health for kids remains a matter that many dentists champion in dentistry. When you receive proper dental care from a young age, you are likely to continually enjoy excellent oral health until your prime age. Unfortunately, many parents don’t view dental health this way.

Dr. Harold Jablon makes effort to ensure that parents are well aware of the benefits of dental care for children at Kids First Dental – Columbia, as early as infancy. Routine dental visits are how you can learn about dental sealants for kids, and how they are the best fit for your child.

What Are Dental Sealants?

They are plastic-like coatings usually painted on the chewing surfaces of teeth to protect them. Dental sealants near you can be termed special dental fillings because they are used to fill the back teeth. Uniquely, however, the sealants do not require your teeth to be broken, decayed, or damaged otherwise to be filled. Instead, dental sealants are used to fill healthy teeth.

How Do Sealants Work?

The dental sealants procedure is quick and simple since no trimming or shaving of your enamel is necessary. Ideally, the dentist cleans the chewing surfaces of your back teeth, that is, premolars and molars. The cleaning ensures that any debris and plaque likely stuck in the pits and fissures of the teeth is removed entirely, before any other step of the process. Afterward, the sealant material is applied and hardened to become one with teeth.

The role of dental sealants is to create a barrier on the back teeth, shielding them from bacteria that cause cavities and dental decay. Technically, the back teeth are highly prone to dental cavities because of the deep pits and fissures. While the unevenness thereof allows for effective chewing of food, it makes it difficult to clean them correctly. This is especially the case for kids who are just learning about proper oral hygiene. Eventually, plaque builds up in the depressions of teeth and causes dental cavities. If untreated, you may need to rush your child to an emergency kids’ dentist in Columbia, 29210 for urgent dental care regarding severe dental decay.​

Crucial Facts About Dental Sealants That Parents Should Know

• They protect only the back teeth – sealants are only applied to the chewing surfaces of teeth. This is only possible for the premolars and molars.
• They cannot treat dental decay – if your child already has dental cavities, sealants are not the prime choice for their treatment. The oral materials are only important as proactive measures to protect teeth from dental cavities. Otherwise, other types of fillings and dental treatments will be needed for your child.
• They do not last forever – like with most oral materials in dentistry, sealants have a timeline of longevity. After 2 years, the sealants can only protect teeth from 50 percent of cavities, until about 4 years. This is why you must visit a pediatric dentist near you frequently to have the sealants on your child’s mouth checked for efficiency.
• They release fluoride on teeth – some dental sealants slowly release fluoride on teeth. Fluoride is a natural mineral that helps strengthen teeth, and also helps fight against bacteria that cause cavities. In that case, sealants provide double benefits when it comes to fighting against dental cavities.

Dental Sealants Pros and Cons

Pros

• They help fight against dental cavities and tooth decay and are proven to be effective over the years
• They significantly boost oral hygiene by making it easy to thoroughly clean the back teeth
• Sealants are pain-free to apply
• They significantly reduce the chance of getting cavities in life, especially when kids get them early.

Cons

• They can seal in cavities – unless your dentist is through to examine your teeth before applying sealants, it is possible to seal on cavities. The problem is that this leaves your cavity untreated, causing it to progress into a severe case of dental decay over time.
• You need to replace them after 5 years or less, for them to be effective.
• They cannot be used on teeth that have dental fillings or on artificial teeth
• They can only be used for protecting the back teeth