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Dental Sealants Can Help Your Child Keep Cavities at Bay
Fortunately, your child’s dentist has a quick and easy solution that can give your child added protection against tooth decay. “Dental sealants are a simple way to help prevent cavities in vulnerable teeth,” says Alice Lee, DDS, associate director of the Division of Pediatric Dentistry at Montefiore Medical Center. “A sealant is a clear or tooth colored plastic coating that we apply directly onto the chewing surfaces of the posterior teeth, usually molars and sometimes premolars. The sealant fills the grooves and helps keep food, debris, bacteria, plaque and acids away from the teeth.” It takes just a few painless minutes for doctors to apply sealants. After the teeth are cleaned, dentists use an acid solution that roughens the chewing surfaces so the sealant will adhere properly. Next, dentists “paint” the sealant onto the tooth enamel. The sealant bonds to the enamel and hardens, forming a protective barrier. Dentists usually apply sealants around age 6 when children’s first permanent molars come in and again when their second set of molars erupt around age 12. They also may recommend sealants on other teeth in children who are cavity prone. Dental sealants usually last several years, but they may chip off or wear away from normal use or if kids chew a lot of gum or hard candy. Dentists check kids’ sealants at each routine dental visit to make sure they fully cover the chewing surfaces, and they can repair or replace sealants as needed. “Most insurance plans cover sealants for children,” Dr. Lee says. “Unfortunately, many kids don’t see a dentist until they have problems, and it may be too late for sealants then. All kids should be evaluated for sealants because they’re an effective tool that can help them stay cavity free.” Montefiore offers both pediatric and
adult dentistry at several convenient
locations. For more information about
dental sealants or other dentistry services,
please call
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Brushing, flossing and regular dental visits
can help keep your child’s smile healthy and
bright. But these preventive strategies just aren’t
enough. It’s often hard for kids to clean the pits and
grooves in the larger teeth in the back of the mouth,
which makes them more susceptible to cavities.
