What Is a Dental Sealant, and Does Your Child Need One?

The greatest approach to avoid cavities and instill oral hygiene practices your child can use into adulthood is to teach them daily brushing and flossing of their teeth. Dental sealants, another protection we as dentists employ to combat tooth decay, are also used. By reading on, see if this preventive action would be the best fit for your child or if you need additional guidance from the kids dentist Modesto.

 

What Is a Dental Sealant?

A dental sealant is a protective barrier applied to children’s teeth. It is designed to seal off food and bacteria that cause cavities. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) says, “Sealant placement in children and adolescents has shown a reduction of cavities’ incidence [by] 86 percent after one year and 58 percent after four years.” 

Sealants, used in tandem with a thorough dental care regimen comprising appropriate brushing, flossing, fluoride treatments, and a nutritious diet, will maintain dental health. Although any dental health program should include brushing and flossing, sealants offer extra defense for the grooved portions of teeth from pit and fissure decay.

 

How Safe Are Dental Sealants?

Children find dental sealants absolutely safe. Some parents worry because they contain bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in plastic known to cause health issues. But dental sealants contain very little BPA, so it is quite improbable that they will affect your children. 

Dental sealants are confirmed safe for all patients according to several studies conducted by the American Dental Association and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The only possible negative effect dental sealants could have on your child is a natural-born allergy to the plastic component they are composed of. Your dentist will confirm whether your child has this allergy during a dental sealant application.

 

When Should I Consider Dental Sealants For My Child?

Your child’s molars’ chewing surfaces get dental sealants put on them. Most dentists thus wait till the teeth of your children have fully emerged before putting a dental sealant. Usually, this occurs for the average child between the ages of six and eight. 

Once your child begins seeing the dentist, they will most likely immediately advise dental sealants as a preventative measure. Made to last, some dental sealants in people who have kept their teeth in good condition for the last nine years. But as your kids’ teeth fall out and their adult teeth replace them, dental sealants will have to be reapplied. Usually, this comes along between the ages of 12 and 14.

 

What Are the Benefits of Sealants?

Many parents wish to know the advantages and disadvantages of dental sealants. Sealants provide your youngster the best advantage as they prevent tooth decay and cavities. Since they guard teeth against cavities, sealants are a preventive treatment. Children without sealants were three times more likely to have cavities than their classmates who had dental sealants in research contrasting school-age children with and without sealants. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control also mentioned in the same paper that dental sealants might save $300 million in dental expenses all throughout the nation. 

A child’s performance in the classroom directly relates to their oral hygiene as well. Children with dental decay often suffer from eating and sleeping problems, which affects attendance and performance in the classroom. Though it’s a stretch to argue that dental sealants would help your child perform better in school, they directly affect your child’s health and mental clarity. Stated differently, dental sealants are an easy approach to equipping your child for success and avoiding little issues from growing into major ones.

 

Conclusion

When your children are young, good dental habits will help them start a lifetime of good oral health and brilliant, shining teeth. How your children’s teeth grow can be greatly influenced by good home practices and frequent visits to a pediatric dentist when they are ready. Good maintenance combined with dental sealants will help to avoid cavities and guarantee appropriate tooth development.