Dental sealants are quick, easy, and painless dental treatments used to prevent tooth decay.
Prevention is the key. When a tooth has pits, grooves, and fissures, food particles can be trapped into it. These are hard to reach areas for toothbrushes. As more of these particles are caught, they become food for acidogenic bacteria, which causes the weakening of the enamel and ultimately creating a hole in the tooth. Dentists may recommend dental sealants to prevent tooth decay. Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings placed in a tooth’s pits and fissures to fill them in to create a smooth surface. Dental sealants protect a tooth’s surfaces from cavities by covering its holes and cracks with a protective shield.
Children and teenagers are likely to develop tooth decays, so they are the possible candidates for sealants. Typically, children’s permanent molars and premolars should be protected from the cavity-prone years of age 6 to 14. Children should get their sealants on as soon as they come out.
Dental sealants are also recommended for baby teeth, especially when the child’s teeth have depressions and grooves. The sealants could help hold the correct spacing for permanent teeth, and they can keep the baby teeth in good shape so they won’t decay too early.
