When your child visits the dentist for their regular
check-up you may hear the word sealants. Don’t panic, this is a dental procedure
that the dentist is recommending for their own health. Sealants can help to
keep your child’s smile as healthy as possible.
They keep bacteria away from deep ridges in the teeth that hold onto the
food they are consuming. Dr. Anna Lee and
her team suggest that children get sealants in order to decrease their chances
of decay.
Sealants are a clear or tinted plastic protective coating
applied on the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars to prevent
cavities. Molars and premolars have
grooves and crevices and food can get stuck on or in these surfaces. Sealants are applied to ‘seal’ the grooves
and crevices so that food cannot get into them to cause cavities.
The longer that food is able to stay on the surface of the
teeth the more likely it is to negatively impact the surface of the teeth and
create a cavity. Once a cavity is forming the only way to take care of the
problem is to remove the cavity. Depending on the size of the cavity will
depend on the pain and the cost of the procedure. That’s why sealants are so
beneficial and recommended, especially for children who sometimes have more
difficulty brushing well.
For more information
on sealants contact Dr. Anna Lee & her team today.
