How Can Dental Sealants Help My Child?
While encouraging your child to brush and floss regularly is essential for preventing cavities, it can be difficult to effectively reach and clean every groove or crevice, especially on the back teeth. Fortunately, dental sealants can help protect your child’s teeth against cavities.
Which Teeth Are Most Likely to Get Cavities?
Cavities most often form on the premolars and molars at the back of the mouth. The chewing surfaces on those teeth are rough and covered with grooves known as pits and fissures. Plaque and food particles may become trapped in these areas, allowing bacteria to flourish and attack the tooth enamel. This can potentially result in tooth decay.
How Can Dental Sealants Help Prevent Tooth Decay?
Dental sealants are thin, white-colored coatings that are painted onto the chewing surfaces of premolars and molars. The material bonds to the pits and fissures, forming a protective shield and making them more resistant to tooth decay. According to the CDC, children between the ages of 6 and 11 without sealants have nearly 3 times more first molar cavities than those with sealants. Sealants have also been shown to be effective for use over areas with early decay to minimize further damage.
We typically recommend applying dental sealants when your child’s permanent molars start coming in (which usually happens around age six). Protecting these teeth right from the start can help prevent many future dental problems.
How Are Children’s Dental Sealants Applied?
Applying dental sealants is a quick, simple, and pain-free procedure. First, we clean and dry the premolars and molars and place an etching material on the surfaces to help the sealant bond. Next, we place the sealant material onto the prepared teeth and use a special curing light to harden it. The resulting coating provides a protective barrier, essentially sealing off the teeth to help protect them from plaque and bacteria exposure.
Dental Sealants for Kids in Hurst, TX
Contact Hurst Pediatric Dentistry to learn more about our preventive dentistry services, including dental sealants, and how they can help prevent tooth decay in children. You can also call our office (817) 510-6400 at to schedule an appointment. Our team is committed to ensuring our patients maintain healthy teeth and beautiful smiles.
Hurst Pediatric Dentistry is located in Hurst, TX. We provide pediatric dentistry services, including dental sealants, for kids from Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Colleyville, Southlake, Keller, North Richland Hills, Watauga, Haltom City, Arlington, Irving, Grapevine and the surrounding area.
This article is intended to provide general information about oral health topics. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any medical condition or as a substitute for the advice of a healthcare professional who is fully aware of and familiar with the specifics of your case. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with regard to any questions you may have relating to a medical condition or treatment.
