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Sealants – Does My Child Need Them?

One of the most common concerns that parents have regarding their children’s dental health is cavity prevention. Cavities can be painful and can lead to other types of infections. Once you have a cavity, the treatment needed for it can be quite expensive and invasive for your child.

The best and most effective way to prevent cavities is by brushing and flossing your child’s teeth and teaching them how to maintain a healthy daily dental routine. However, it can be hard to clean some sections of the mouth. One of the places where food loves to stick to is the uneven sections of molars. But fear not, there is an extra layer of protection you can place on molars to help keep them as clean as possible – sealants.

Sealants are a type of coating that is placed on the biting surfaces of the teeth. This protective shield will help keep food particles and bacteria from settling on your kid’s teeth and creating holes, or cavities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sealants protect against 80% of cavities for 2 years and then continue to protect against 50% for up to 4 more years. The best part is that placing sealants is a completely painless procedure for your child! The dentist will first clean their teeth so they can then apply a special solution that will be hardened using a blue light.

Ideally, your child should get sealants once their first molars have appeared (usually between ages 5 and 7). However, when they lose those teeth and get a permanent set, they should get sealants once again. If you notice your child already has a cavity forming in their mouth, a sealant may still be the answer as it can help stop the tooth decay process if it is caught at an early stage. As with any treatment, always be sure to consult with your doctor beforehand to see when the best timing is. You can even ask about sealants for yourself if you don’t have them since these are beneficial at any age.

If you’d like to schedule an appointment for a Risas dentist to take a look at your child’s teeth, you can do so here. Remember that visiting the dentist regularly is one of the best ways to keep track of your child’s oral health and prevent tooth decay.

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