Building oral hygiene habits like regular brushing and flossing are necessary to prevent oral diseases like cavities, especially in children. However, tooth decay can be fought in another way according to pediatric dentists; dental sealants!
Dental sealants are made up of thin plastic and are used as a coating placed only on the surface of the teeth which is used for chewing and are used by all the best pediatric dentists (Dubai). This does not imply that they are in any way a substitute for brushing your teeth or flossing them. They can however, prevent the formation of cavities, protecting the tooth from decay.
Their name pretty much tells you how they work. They act as a seal or cover over the pitted and grooved areas of the teeth, of the molars and premolars. Children may find it quite difficult to clean the narrow areas of their teeth and this over time, forms plaque which can create a cavity in the tooth. Dental sealants cover those difficult to reach areas of the teeth, making a smooth surface over them. This smooth surface stops the food from getting stuck in between the teeth, thus preventing any cavity from being formed.
If there is a cavity already formed in its early stages, it can be cleaned and covered with a dental sealant. This helps stop any further decay of the tooth. As the dental sealant is completely clear, the dentist can still see through it and keep checking the insides of the tooth easily even after the dental sealant has been applied.
Dental sealants can be quite long-lasting as they can stop tooth decay for almost 10 years as you can confirm from any good children dentist. You should still keep getting a regular check-up so that your pediatric dentist could monitor the condition of the sealant and suggest when you may need to replace or reapply them.
Kids’ dentists recommend the use of dental sealants in children between the ages of 6 to 14. The reason behind this is that age 6 is around when the first molars break while around age 12, the second molars start appearing. Many dentists are of the opinion that dental sealants could be applied to these teeth as soon as they appear in order to protect them from the start. In some rare cases, best pediatric dentists may suggest that dental sealants could be applied to baby teeth as well, only if the pitted and grooved areas are deeper than usual.
Now the question remains whether your child needs these dental sealants or not. First of all, they do prevent tooth decay. The Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) has researched that molar cavities can be prevented by almost 80 percent. Another study by CDC states that there are almost three times more molar cavities in children aged 6 to 11 who do not have dental sealants as compared to those who have applied dental sealants.
As long as your child does not have an allergic reaction to dental sealants, they are safe for children and applying them early on not only prevents any cavity formation but saves you from any future costly dental treatments. You can search ‘dental pediatrics near me’ to find the nearest kids dentist and get the best consultation.