A Guide on Dental Sealants for Kids
Brushing and flossing are essential for adults and kids to maintain optimal dental health. However, dental sealants may be best for kids to prevent them from developing cavities and getting fillings. Reports from the CDC promote the benefits of dental sealants for children and inexpensive and straightforward procedures.
Dental sealants are thin liquid plastic coating painted on the teeth as a protective barrier against cavities. If your child has developed molars, you may receive information from the pediatric dentist in Phoenix, AZ; they are prone to developing cavities and need protection over the surfaces of their molars to prevent the trapping of food particles and bacteria in them to create cavities.
Dental sealants, despite their promotion as a safe and effective treatment for children for over four decades, haven’t gained the traction they need because less than 50 percent of children have them on their teeth. In addition, the painless procedure costing merely $ 30-$ 60 per molar prevents significant dental expenditure on children who develop tooth decay and need treatments for fillings from the kid’s dentist near me.
At What Age Are Dental Sealants Most Effective?
Children develop molars at ages six, 12, and 18. Dental sealants are most effective on children’s teeth when you get them for your child soon after their molars develop. Unfortunately, young children are negligent with their dental hygiene and often neglect brushing and flossing correctly unless they are supervised by parents. The dental office near you suggests sealing of the premolars and molars soon after they erupt.
You can even consider sealing baby and primary teeth so long as the child is old enough to tolerate this painless treatment. However, dental sealants are not required on younger children’s teeth unless they are at an increased risk of tooth decay.
Dentists recommend getting children’s vulnerable tooth surfaces sealed if they are at a higher risk of dental caries. However, getting children’s molars sealed soon after erupting is best regardless of their age.
What Does Research Reveal on Dental Sealants?
The research published by the CDC reveals dental sealants are adequate to prevent 80 percent of cavities for two years after the initial application. The sealant application continues protecting against 50 percent of cavities for up to four years. The investment you make in your child’s teeth lasts for up to nine years.
Forty-three percent of children between six and 11 from higher-income households have dental sealants on their molars. In contrast, children from lower-income families are 20 percent less likely to have sealants on their teeth and prone to developing three times more cavities than children with sealants.
How Can Dental Sealants Help Children’s Teeth?
Children without sealants often report lost school time because of tooth decay as it interferes with sleeping, eating, and performing other activities. Sealants, besides preventing cavities, also ensure the child’s teeth remain intact. Unfortunately, children without sealants must undergo treatments to drill and fill their teeth or even extract them to compromise the natural structure of their teeth.
Instead of letting your child endure the challenges of tooth decay, fillings, or extractions, wouldn’t you find it beneficial to take them to the nearest dental professional to get dental sealants over their teeth to preserve their dental health appropriately? We are confident you will decide on our suggestion to get your child dental sealants to protect their teeth.
Application of Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are technically sensitive to their placements and require an experienced professional to perform the application on children. Although the treatment is entirely painless and completed within a short while, your child must sit in the dentist’s chair with their mouth open.
When applying dental sealants, the dentist providing dental care for your child first cleans the targeted tooth and dries it with absorbent material. Next, the dentist applies a roughing solution on the teeth to make the sealant better adhere to the tooth. After that, the tooth is again cleaned and dried. Finally, the targeted tooth is painted with the dental sealant sealing off the pits and grooves of the teeth to create a smoother surface.
After applying dental sealants on your child’s tooth to prevent them from developing cavities, you must continue ensuring they maintain their dental health in optimal condition, brushing twice daily, flossing at least once, and taking them to their pediatric dentist for six-monthly exams and cleanings. Dental sealants do not remain on the molars permanently and need reapplication as they are prone to chipping and falling off. The child’s pediatric dentist keeps a close watch on the application and re-applies the sealants if required during routine visits.