How Dental Sealants Prevent Cavities In Children And Adults

Your oral health needs protection from all sides. Whether it is your routine, or using a thin protective layer such as dental sealants. It not only ensures safety against cavity-causing bacteria that harm your tooth but also improves your overall oral health. But how to protect your teeth against cavities and how these sealants are applied?

This article will help you understand how dental sealants work. You can also learn about how you can prevent cavities using these. You can properly improve your oral health and shield it against germs using preventive measures such as dental sealants.

Dental Sealants In Detail

Dental sealants are a type of coating that shields your teeth’ outer surface. It is painted over on the teeth in a liquid form. This liquid bonds with the teeth’ surface. It also acts as a protective layer against cavities. You can use these sealants to protect your molar, non-molars, and other permanent teeth.

Most back teeth have deep grooves. These are hard to reach for children and often have trapped food inside. Dental sealant over these back teeth can ensure that the trapped food does not cause decay. Bacteria cannot cause tooth decay or cavities as they can’t reach the tooth surface due to this protective layer over these deep grooves.

Dentists suggest getting sealants on permanent molars and premolars. They can prevent cavities in most cavity-prone years from ages 6 through 14. You can consult with your dentist, and check if your child has deep grooves, they might need these for protection.

How Are These Applied?

Dental sealant application is a simple and painless process. It is straightforward to get this quick process and only takes a few minutes. Here is the step-by-step procedure to understand the application in depth:

1. You need to clean your teeth thoroughly.
2. Then your dentist will dry your teeth. They will place a piece of cotton gauze to keep your teeth surfaces dry.
3. They will then put a small amount of an acid-etching solution on the chewing surfaces of your teeth. This will roughen them up. It helps the sealants bond properly with the tooth surface.
4. You must then rinse and dry your teeth again.
5. They will then paint the sealant material onto your enamel. Due to the rough surface, it will bond directly to your tooth.
6.  It will turn hard, once they shine a curing light on the sealant material.

How Long Do They Last?

One of the disadvantages of this protective material is that it might last only for a few years. You might need to replace them to protect yourself against cavities. In best-case scenarios, some dental sealants might last up to a decade.

While the procedure only takes a few minutes to complete, they can be easily replaced. People with existing cavities, decay, or any other dental issue cannot get this procedure done. You must visit your dentist every few months. This ensures your tooth is well-protected against decay.

Dental Sealants Benefits

Dental sealants are an affordable option to prevent cavities. They are useful for almost all age groups. Most dentists recommend these to children. This is because they are careless about their oral hygiene. Most children often have cavities.

These sealants can be applied to both baby teeth and permanent teeth. Mostly, it is applied to teeth with deep grooves. This makes them hard to reach or clean. Let us explore some more benefits of dental sealants in detail:

• It prevents teeth from tooth decay.
• It is more affordable than other cavity prevention measures.
• They can reduce the risk of cavities by up to 80%.
• Dental sealants can last for a few years. They even have up to a decade of proper maintenance.
• Their application process is quick, simple, and painless.
• This process is minimally invasive. It does not require injections or drilling.
• They are suitable for all age groups.

Tips For Better Oral Health

You must follow some preventive measures to avoid cavities. These tips can help you improve your oral health. Let us explore these tips and try to adapt most of them to maintain oral hygiene:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day, and after eating or drinking.
• Drink fluoridated water.
• Wear a mouthguard when playing contact sports.
• Treat dry mouth as soon as it appears.
• Use a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste.
• Floss or use an interdental cleaner to remove plaque and food between your teeth.
• Rinse your mouth.
• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria.
• Avoid sugary foods and drinks Limit snacks between meals and Avoid food and drinks with added sugar.
• Replace your toothbrush every 3 or 4 months.

Conclusion

Oral health needs care and protection. Most people often take their oral routine lightly. This can be dangerous for your overall health.  Cavities and tooth decay require expensive treatments. This is why, people seek affordable preventive measures to ensure their teeth are protected.

Dental sealant is a one-stop solution for cavities. They protect and shield your teeth from bacteria, and can last for a few years. Their application process is also painless, affordable, and quick, which makes replacements easier.

You can visit our experts at Aransas Pass Pediatric Dentist to get your oral health checked. With effective steps, you can protect your child’s and your oral health from cavities.