Are Dental Sealants Safe?
If you’re considering dental sealants or any other dental procedure for yourself or your child, you may have questions about safety. After all, many of these procedures involve placing or applying some type of foreign matter or chemical in the oral cavity, and you have every right to know whether such a thing is safe. Many dental sealants are made of dental composite resins, which contain a miniscule amount of BPA (bisphenol A). This chemical compound is often found in plastic bottles, canned foods, and personal hygiene products, to name a few. Some studies have suggested that there are links between exposure to BPA and some developmental or endocrine disorders, though the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has conducted hundreds of studies that have determined that BPA is safe at low levels.
Plastics containing BPA are used in packaging for food, to line metal food containers and water pipes, and in bottles and packaging for soap, shampoo, and other hygiene products. When BPA is present in dental sealants, the levels are well below the levels considered safe by the FDA and by the Environmental Protection Agency; studies indicate that the BPA emitted from dental sealants is around .09 nanograms, while the EPA-proposed limit is 1 million nanograms per day for an average 6-year-old child. In effect, this means that you’re far more likely to be exposed to BPA, in higher levels, that is emitted from shampoo, a can of tuna, or a plastic water bottle than from dental sealants, and all of these products are routinely tested and have been deemed safe by multiple expert entities.
If you’re concerned about BPA leaching from your child’s dental sealants, or from yours, talk to your dentist. They can explain the medical facts behind dental sealants and may be able to suggest alternative treatments if your concerns would prevent you from treatment. It’s also important to make sure your dentist knows about any allergies their patient may have, to ensure the safety of any dental treatment. For parents, and patients, who aren’t concerned about the infinitesimal amounts of BPA that may be found in dental sealants, dental sealants can provide substantial health benefits that far outweigh any risks they may or may not present. Studies conducted by the American Dental Association have indicated that dental sealants reduce the risk of tooth decay in the premolars and molars by more than 80 percent, and children with dental sealants are three times less likely to get cavities than children without sealants.
While dental sealants are a safe and effective way to protect the teeth from tooth decay, they won’t keep the oral cavity healthy on their own. If your dentist suggests dental sealants for your child, make sure your child understands that they still need to brush and floss their own teeth as directed and see their dentist regularly, and the same goes for you if you’re considering dental sealants. Sealants can be applied to teeth that are already compromised by tooth decay, and they won’t work on teeth that already have dental fillings, so they may not be recommended for many adults whose teeth have already borne the scars of time. For children, however, with brand-new secondary teeth, they can play a considerable role in the reduction of cavities and be an excellent complement to a lifetime of effective oral hygiene. Regular dental checkups allow dentists to evaluate the integrity and quality of dental sealants over time and replace or repair them when needed. Whatever miniscule amount of BPA they may or may not emit is inconsequential when compared to the cost-effective, non-invasive, protective benefits they can provide.