Dental sealants are an effective way to protect your child’s teeth. Sealants are barriers to cavity-prone areas like molars. Putting them in place will help strengthen your child’s oral hygiene routine for many years. In fact, the American Dental Association says dental sealants for kids reduce their risk of cavities by 80%!
If you’re interested in learning more about dental sealants for children, read our most frequently asked questions.
Since toothbrushes can’t reach into all the deep grooves of the back chewing teeth, plaque and bacteria get left behind. This is where sealants, a special coating that your dentist can easily paint on your child’s teeth, come in. The sealant hardens and becomes a barrier between your child’s tooth and decay, lasting for several years. Dental sealants are made of glass ionomer or composite resin, both extremely durable and strong materials.
Kids especially are at risk for cavities since they might not have an oral hygiene routine firmly in place. Since toothbrushes can’t reach everywhere, sealants on a child’s back teeth will help prevent bacteria from settling in those fine grooves that are hard to properly clean. Sealants act as a barrier against decay.
Children between the ages of 5-14 are great candidates for sealants. For them to be most effective, it is recommended that sealants are placed in new permanent teeth like premolars, first molars, and second molars.
Cavities can become an issue in baby teeth and could spread to other teeth, even incoming permanent teeth. If this is the case, dentists can put sealants on baby teeth to better prepare the mouth for adult teeth while keeping the rate of decay in check.
Dental sealants for kids are completely safe. Some people worry about exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) when the sealants interact with saliva, however, these levels are extremely low and pose no risk. According to the American Dental Association, breathing air exposes people to 100 times more BPA than dental sealants.
Brushing twice a day, eating a balanced diet, and regular dental exams are the first lines of defense against childhood tooth decay. However, if your child has been experiencing uncontrolled cavities or poor dental hygiene, dental sealants are a great option.
Call us today at 719-596-6920 to schedule an appointment with our pediatric dentist to learn more about dental sealants for kids.