Dental Sealants for Children
Dental sealants are recommended for anyone with pitted or grooved teeth that aren’t decayed and don’t already have dental fillings. As a preventive measure, this makes dental sealants an ideal option for children. Applying dental sealants to a child’s secondary, or permanent, teeth shortly after these teeth erupt can help protect the teeth and prevent cavities from developing, saving parents time, money, and hassle. This can be especially important during childhood and adolescence, when young people are first learning how to establish effective oral hygiene habits. In fact, many studies indicate that children with dental sealants on their premolars and molars are nearly three times less likely to develop tooth decay on the protected teeth.
By design, molars and premolars, the teeth located at the very back of the mouth, have complex grooves and ridges on their occlusal surfaces, which are the surfaces used to chew and grind food. Because of these erratic surfaces, these teeth are more likely to trap food debris and can be more difficult to clean. This is especially true for young people, who may lack the focus, skill, or manual dexterity to thoroughly clean these tucked-away teeth. When food debris and residue remain on the teeth, they encourage the growth of bacterial plaque, which, when allowed to accumulate, leads to tooth decay and gum disease. Dental sealants smooth and protect these occlusal surfaces, making them easier to clean and less likely to harbor destructive bacteria.
While dental sealants can be applied to baby teeth that may be compromised, this isn’t particularly common. Instead, dentists recommend sealing children’s molars shortly after these permanent teeth come in. In most cases, the first molars erupt between the ages of 5 and 7, and the second molars erupt in early adolescence. Dental sealants can be applied quickly and require little to no down time, and many dentists recommend applying sealants during routine checkups as soon as these molars erupt. This can be a cost-effective way to complement your child’s oral health routine and an investment in a cavity-free future.
Of course, the grooves and pits on the surfaces of the molars serve a mechanical purpose: they’re there to help you thoroughly chew or grind your food, improving digestion and enjoyment of food. Applying dental sealants doesn’t modify this mechanical function, nor does it affect the way the upper and lower molars fit with one another while biting or chewing. Instead, dental sealants act almost like a protective varnish, making it more difficult for debris to stick and making it easier to brush, floss, and rinse away bacterial biofilm during regular cleaning. In serving as a protective barrier, dental sealants help prevent gum disease and tooth decay while preserving strong dental enamel and maintaining the integrity and structure of the tooth. Sealing teeth shortly after eruption helps maintain a dental clean slate and avoid these destructive oral health issues.
Of course, you’ll still need to play a role in your child’s dental health, like teaching children proper brushing and flossing techniques, as these are necessary elements of an oral hygiene routine that may be supported and complemented by dental sealants. You should also normalize visits to the dentist by introducing children to their dentist early and framing visits to the dentist as something beneficial or even fun. During your child’s routine examination, your dentist can help determine whether your child’s teeth would benefit from sealants, and they can seal the teeth before any dental or oral health issues even have a chance to arise.