The human natural teeth are meant to be solid and beautiful. However, several factors damage the natural teeth’ appearance and strength, destroying your beauty and confidence. These factors are present from when a child’s first teeth develop. Dentists recommend caring for the natural teeth from when a child is young. They recommend various preventive treatments that can help protect your child’s teeth, including dental sealants.
Sealants are mainly recommended for children and teenagers because of their susceptibility to cavities. Children cannot care for their natural teeth as they should. They have yet to master brushing their teeth and do not mind what they put in their mouths. Dental sealants protect the chewing part of a child’s teeth from harmful bacteria that damage the enamel and underlying structures of a natural tooth. Thus, dental sealants work very well for children.
Here are facts you should know about dental sealants for children for easier decision-making:
Why Dentists Recommend Dental Sealants
The natural teeth serve several functions, including beautifying your smile, biting, chewing, and giving your face a beautiful shape. They must remain strong and healthy to serve these functions well. Thus, caring for the teeth should begin from childhood to adulthood. Human beings must continually practice good oral hygiene habits to protect their teeth and gums from damage by harmful bacteria and other damaging elements. The harmful bacteria are responsible for some of the most dangerous dental issues, like cavities and gum disease. However, you can prevent these issues by keeping your teeth and gums clean and visiting your dentist regularly for general checkups and examinations.
Dentists are professionals in all dental matters. They use different strategies to help people enjoy beautiful, solid, healthy teeth. For example, they recommend various treatments and preventive approaches to protect natural teeth from harm by dangerous bacteria. Examples of preventive strategies that are common today and are mainly recommended for children are dental sealants. Sealants are not meant to treat dental issues but to protect a child’s teeth from harm and resulting consequences, like cavities. They have been tried and proven to help prevent cavities in children at a very high rate.
Although cavities affect people of all ages, they mainly affect children. This is because a child’s enamel has yet to develop enough to protect its teeth from harmful bacteria. Additionally, children have yet to master the proper brushing and flossing techniques. This puts their teeth at risk of cavities and other dental problems from unclean teeth or stuck food particles. Children are also not able to make proper decisions when it comes to the kinds of foods that they should consume to benefit or protect their teeth. Their favorite foods are starchy and sugary snacks. These increase their risk of cavities, gum disease, and other dental problems.
These and many other facts explain why children are more at risk of cavities than adults. Children cannot decide to visit a dentist for regular checkups alone. They must wait for an adult to make that decision on their behalf. Sometimes, this need is neglected, especially when an adult presumes that children do not have more severe dental and oral issues than adults.
Dental sealants are protective and preventive measures to reduce your child's risk of cavities. They protect the teeth from penetration by harmful bacteria and other enamel-damaging elements to keep a child’s teeth intact, strong, and healthy. After their installation, your child can enjoy additional protection on their teeth for years before needing a reinstallation.
How Dental Sealants Work
Dental sealants are designed to protect a tooth from a cavity.
A cavity develops when a tooth is damaged in an accident or by dental decay. Dental decay is the leading cause of cavities. It develops when harmful oral bacteria combine with stuck foods in the mouth to produce a strong acid that slowly damages the enamel. Although the enamel is naturally very strong, the acid from harmful bacteria weakens it gradually until it corrodes away, creating a hole in the tooth. The harmful bacteria continue to penetrate the tooth's underlying structures and can cause an infection in the tooth’s roots, necessitating root canal therapy.
The food particles that combine with harmful bacteria to cause a damaging acidic reaction come from the foods and drinks a child consumes. If a child neglects brushing their teeth after a meal or does not brush them properly, some food particles will remain in the mouth. Some particles stick between a child’s teeth, and the child cannot reach them when brushing their teeth in some areas. All kinds of bacteria exist naturally in the mouth. Some bacteria help in digestion, while others cause oral and dental problems. The latter is responsible for some leading dental issues, like cavities.
The back teeth of a child’s mouth have nooks and crevices that trap some foods a child eats. A child’s hand is not strong enough to remove these stuck foods through regular brushing. These areas eventually become perfect breeding grounds for harmful cavity-causing bacteria. Dentists seal these areas to prevent foods and other cavity-causing elements from sticking to them, reducing a child’s risk of cavities.
Sealants are made from plastic material. Dentists apply them to the chewing surfaces of a child’s permanent teeth, mainly the molars and premolars. They cover the top part of the protected teeth to protect them from bacteria and acids that cause cavities. Typically, dentists use sealants on the back teeth because of the pits and fissures that trap food after chewing and grinding. The protection is usually in liquid plastic or resin, which becomes rigid once it settles and dries on the tooth. The material is also transparent to avoid changing the appearance of a natural tooth.
Sometimes dentists paint the resin on the back of a child’s teeth to cover the tiny crevasses that trap harmful bacteria and other cavity-causing elements. Once applied, sealants remain on the tooth for years, creating a solid shield that keeps out decay. The child can chew, grind, bite, and use their teeth without worrying about damaging the sealants. After years of continued protection, your child could need a re-application of the sealant due to wear and tear.
Benefits of Dental Sealants for Children
Dental sealants offer immense benefits for children. For example, they seal off the fissures and crevices on top of a child’s chewing teeth, making their teeth particle-free and decay-free. This is what keeps your child protected from tooth decay and cavities. When applying a sealant to a child’s teeth, the dentist applies a coating on the top surface of their teeth, which traps most foods. These are also the difficult-to-clean areas of a child’s mouth. The coating remains on the tooth for years, offering the much-needed protection your child needs daily from cavities.
Since sealants cover the fissures and pits on your child’s teeth, this treatment reduces the likelihood of bacteria, plaque, and food getting stuck on them, preventing more severe dental and oral issues.
Dental sealants will also give you peace of mind, especially if your child has yet to start brushing their teeth or to master the brushing and flossing technique. Children learn primary care at different paces. Some learn more quickly than others. If your child is taking time to learn how to brush their teeth well, dental sealants will give you peace of mind since they lower their risk of cavities. You will not constantly worry about the possibility of dealing with cavities and other dental issues like root canals at a young age.
Sealants are painless, which makes them ideal for children. Most dental treatments and procedures are uncomfortable and painful, even for adults. Parents are usually skeptical about allowing their children to undergo a dental procedure unless they are assured that it is pain-free. Sealants are an excellent choice for children, as they offer the shield their teeth require against harmful bacteria without sacrificing comfort.
Children are also not patient enough to undergo an extensive procedure. Sealants are ideal because dentists take the least time possible to seal their back teeth. Dental sealant treatment entails minimal preparation of a child’s teeth. The dentist then applies the sealant and cures it using a special light. It takes minutes to seal several teeth, which is not long enough to cause a child’s discomfort.
Your child will not have to undergo the same procedure for years, allowing them time to enjoy maximum protection from cavities without experiencing endless pain and discomfort. Dental sealants remain intact for years, even with continued tooth use. A child does not need to avoid eating their favorite foods to enjoy long-term service from the sealants. The dentist will only caution against harmful habits like teeth grinding to protect the sealants from damage.
Additionally, sealants support a child’s dental care. Remember that children have yet to master brushing their teeth thoroughly to remove all stuck food particles and buildup. They need an adult’s constant help to ensure their mouth is clean and their teeth and gums are always healthy. However, you can help them better by ensuring that their teeth are protected from harmful cavity-causing elements through dental sealants. Then, you will not have to worry whether your child has cleaned the nooks and crannies of their teeth.
Dental sealants are inexpensive and long-lasting. They are cheaper for people seeking protection from cavities but on a budget. Sometimes, an expensive dental procedure is not viable for some parents, especially if the procedure is for a child. Dental sealants are easy to install, and the procedure takes only a few minutes, which makes them inexpensive. Additionally, the material that makes sealants is inexpensive. Thus, you do not have to pay a lot of money to keep your child safe from cavities.
Once installed and well cared for, your child’s sealants can remain intact for up to ten years. It is a long time before a child enjoys protection from cavities. Then, they will learn how to care for their teeth. If you want, you can re-install sealants after wear and tear. This will ensure your child’s teeth enjoy the protection for extended periods.
Caring or Your Child’s Dental Sealants
Remember that sealants should not replace daily oral hygiene habits; only support them. Thus, you must continue caring for your teeth and gums to protect your child from cavities. You must care for the sealants to keep them intact and strong for years. Then, they will protect your child’s teeth from cavities.
Your child’s dentist will recommend brushing and flossing twice daily to remove dirt and stuck food particles from your teeth and mouth. Ensure your child brushes well, reaching all areas of their mouth. They must also floss to remove stuck particles between their teeth. If these particles are not removed, they can combine with harmful bacteria to cause buildup, which is the leading cause of cavities and gum disease.
Ensure your child avoids hard and sticky foods, as these could weaken or remove the sealants, leaving their teeth unprotected from cavity-causing elements. Instead of hard and unhealthy foods, encourage your child to consume more fruits and vegetables to support the health and strength of their teeth and gums.
Visit your child’s dentist regularly for routine dental examinations and to ensure that your child’s sealant is intact. The dentist will recommend immediate treatment or repair if they find a problem with your child’s teeth, gums, or sealant. They will also remind you of some after-treatment tips that could keep the sealants functional for longer.
Find a competent Dental Care Specialist Near Me
Dental sealants work very well for children to protect their teeth from cavities. They are easy, quick to install, painless, effective, and long-lasting. Properly installed sealants can protect your child for up to ten years.
Our dentists at Lasting Impressions Dental Spa highly recommend sealants for children. We can explain how they work, the installation process, the costs, and how to care for your child’s teeth after treatment. We will also be available for review and follow-ups to ensure your child’s teeth are safe from cavities for the recommended period.
Call us at 818-751-5100 if you are worried that your child could be at risk of cavities in Encino, CA. We have information to help you make an informed decision for your child’s safety.
