Could Your Child Benefit From Sealants?

By Curt P. Posey, DDS, Inc.

December 23, 2020

Tags: sealants

Sealants are a great way to reduce your child’s risk for cavities.

All you have to do is have your child open their mouth wide and you will notice all the ridges on the chewing surfaces of their molars. So, as you might imagine, this is one of the most common places that decay forms. Luckily, our Fresno, CA, dentist Dr. Curt Posey can help protect your child’s back teeth from decay with routine checkups and dental sealants.

What is a dental sealant?

These clear or tooth-colored plastic coatings are painted on and hardened to the chewing surfaces of your child’s molars. These coatings create a smooth protective film over those crevices and ridges to make it a less hospitable environment for food and bacteria to get trapped and to build up. Along with good oral care and visiting your family dentist here in Fresno, CA, every six months, dental sealants can be a great preventive measure to reduce your child’s risk for cavities.

Can my child benefit from sealants?

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that all children between the ages of 5 to 14 get dental sealants. Once your child’s first set of molars comes in (between the ages of 5-7) you should talk to our dentist, Dr. Posey, about whether it’s time to get sealants. Your child’s second set of molars will come in between the ages of 11 and 14, and the ADA also recommends getting sealants placed on these teeth once they come in.

While sealants may be highly recommended for children who are at a higher risk for developing cavities, the truth is that all children should get sealants to protect those back teeth from cavities. In fact, children who don’t have sealants were actually three times more likely to develop cavities than children who had sealants.

How is a sealant applied?

We know that when it comes to getting any kind of dental care, it may feel like pulling teeth to get your child here (we don’t take it personally!). However, you’ll also be relieved to find out that placing sealants is super easy and completely painless.

To place sealants, all we have to do is to paint the plastic coating over the chewing surfaces of your child’s teeth and then use a dental laser to harden it directly to the tooth. It only takes a couple of minutes and your child won’t feel a thing. It’s truly one of the easiest ways to protect your child’s teeth from decay.

If you are ready to sit down with our Fresno, CA, family dentist to see if sealants are right for your little one, call our practices today at (559) 227-6755. We can even place sealants during your child’s next cleaning to make it easier on your schedule.

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