All About Sealants

Brush On Long-lasting Cavity Protection

Among the items in the Dr. Evan’s toolkit for which we’re the most grateful is a cavity-prevention technique called “sealing.” It is one of the simplest and most effective ways to help keep tooth decay from ever forming—making life easier on child, parent and dentist alike.

Here’s how it works: The sealant is actually a safe liquid form of plastic that can be brushed onto the tooth surface. The chewing surfaces of back teeth need sealants most, because they have the deepest crevices in which food and cavity-causing bacteria can accumulate and may be untouched even by conscientious toothbrushing.

The sealant—which quickly hardens after application—acts as a colorless physical barrier so that food and bacteria cannot take up residence in the nooks and crannies in the first place. That is why it’s important for us to apply sealant to the chewing surface of each back tooth as soon as it erupts in your child’s mouth—and that can include primary as well as the later-emerging adult teeth.

One application of sealant can last for up to a decade. But sealants need to be checked during your child’s dental checkups to ascertain whether additional sealing material is needed and to apply it if appropriate.

The only downside to applying dental sealant is that it can give children—and their caregivers—a false sense of security. Sealants are very helpful deterrents against cavity formation in the crevices of back teeth, but they don’t protect all tooth surfaces. The best cavity protection for the smooth surfaces of all teeth is exposure to fluoride, via fluoride toothpaste, fluoridated water and, sometimes, a fluoride-containing mouth rinse.

So, even with sealants in place, your child needs to follow the rules of good dental hygiene just as strictly as before:

• Brush twice a day. For children over 2 years of age, use a pea-sized bit of fluoride toothpaste on the brush, and clean each tooth thoroughly.
• Floss once a day. Have your child use whatever type of floss is most comfortable for him or her to manipulate.

Try to have your child avoid the stickiest of candies, as well as chips, pretzels and cookies, which form residues that are among the toughest to brush away. But if your child eats them, have him or her brush as soon as possible after consumption.

If you have more questions about sealants, or cavity prevention in general, please talk to us at your child’s next visit or call KiDDS Dental at 509-891-7070. We can give you the most up-to-date information.