Dental sealants are fragile liquid layers applied to the front and back teeth. After using the sealant, the dentist dries it to help prevent cavities.
Sealants help protect teeth from tooth decay and plaque, and most pediatric dentists suggest them. They are thought to be very safe for kids. Dental sealants for kids can help keep teeth from getting cavities, but they shouldn’t be used instead of good oral hygiene.
How Dental Sealants Work?
Sealants for teeth help keep food out of them and keep them safe. Even though they aren’t meant to replace brushing and flossing daily, they are intended to help keep cavities from happening. When a pediatric dentist seals a child’s teeth, they put them over the grooved and pitted parts of the molars and premolars.
Children’s teeth have more minor grooves than adults’ teeth, which can make it hard for them to clean them well. Plaque can build up in these grooves, leading to a cavity.
What Age Should Kids Get Sealants?
When they come in, dental sealants are put on kids’ central back teeth. This keeps kids’ teeth safe before decay gets to them and makes a hole in them.
Their first set of fixed teeth comes between the ages of 5 and 7, and their second set is between the ages of 11 and 14. With that in mind, kids should get sealants between 5 and 14.
Why Children May Need Dental Sealants
Teenage and all the years before are the best ages for oral sealants because they can get them before cavities. You can use sealants to help keep cavities from starting in the grooves of your teeth, which is why they work.
Dentists often suggest sealants for kids whose teeth have deep grooves, gaps, and pits. Parents of kids likely to get cavities may also be told to get sealants.
Different Types of Dental Sealants
There are two different types of sealants for kids:
Composite Resin:
A lot of people use this kind of sealant. It is made of tooth-coloured plastic that can be coloured to match the teeth. The only downside of composite resin is that it can’t fix small holes in teeth. Still, it’s an excellent choice for regular dental care. Glass ionomer sealants don’t leave fluoride on the teeth like composite resin fillings, but they last longer.
Glass Ionomer:
This is a transparent acrylic material often used in youth dentistry. It puts small amounts of fluoride minerals on kids’ teeth.
This glass ionomer sealant is the best choice for kids’ teeth because it prevents cavities and bacteria and contains fluoride to strengthen tooth enamel.
Are Dental Sealants Worth for Kids?
Dental sealants are very good at keeping kids’ teeth from getting cavities. Sealants are worth it for kids if you want to know if they need them. Sealants are beneficial between the ages of 5 and 14. After being put on, they protect against up to two years of cavities for 80% and four years for 50%.
How long do sealants last?
For kids, sealants usually last between two and four years before they need to be changed. When you go to the dentist for a cleaning, they will check the sealants to ensure they are still in good shape and let you know when it’s time to get new ones.
Dental sealants are a safe and effective way to prevent bacteria and plaque from forming on children’s teeth, which in turn helps prevent cavities.
While sealants help prevent tooth decay, children must maintain good oral hygiene by brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, flossing between the teeth daily, and visiting a pediatric dentist regularly.
Here’s Your Smile Lynn Pediatric Dental Specialist
Do you need to find a kid’s dentist near you? At Smile Lynn Pediatric Dentistry, we want your child’s smiles to be as strong, beautiful, and healthy as possible from the first visit.
Because of this, our dentist always tries to give our valued patients of all ages the best oral health care in a friendly and relaxed setting. Please make an appointment today with our dentist near you.
We can help you have a clean, healthy, strong, and beautiful smile for life. To learn more, visit our youth prevention dentistry in Apollo Beach today.