While there is no replacement for a healthy dental hygiene routine, there is an extra way to help protect your child’s teeth from cavities. Dental sealants may be recommended by your child’s pediatric dentist to offer a boost of protection to their smile. If you’re unfamiliar with what dental sealants are, Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry can explain.
What Are Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants are a thin, protective plastic coating applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Dental sealants are used on the back teeth because molars are the most susceptible for cavities.
Applying Dental Sealants
After a dental cleaning, the dentist will dry the tooth and then place an acidic gel on it. The gel is designed to help the sealant form a stronger bond with the tooth. After the gel sits on the tooth for a few seconds, it is rinsed off, the tooth is dried again, and the sealant is applied to the chewing surface of the molar. Then, a LED blue light is used for 20 to 60 seconds to harden and set the sealants. Applying dental sealants is a completely painless process and only takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Why Choose Dental Sealants?
Brushing and flossing is absolutely the most important part of keeping a healthy smile. However, applying dental sealants to your child’s molars can add an extra barrier to keep food particles and bacteria from making a home in the nooks and crannies of their back teeth. Dental sealants are sometimes used to stop the early stages of tooth decay from becoming a cavity.
According to the American Dental Association, sealants have been shown to reduce the risk of decay by nearly 80% in molars. Additionally, a study from the CDC reported school-age children without sealants have almost three times more cavities than children with sealants.
Is Bishenol-A Dental Sealant Safe for Children?
Recently, news stories have appeared on MSNBC.com and CNN.com regarding Bisphenol-A in dental sealants, based on a recent paper in the journal Pediatrics. Both AAPD Vice-President Dr. Joel Berg and AAPD Child Advocate and AAPD Head Start Dental Home Initiative Project Director Dr. Jim Crall were interviewed regarding the study, and the two articles are linked below.
Crall's quote in the MSNBC.com story included:
"Frankly, I think the article is going a bit beyond the current level of evidence when it comes to pregnant women," said Dr. Jim Crall, a professor of pediatric dentistry at the University of California at Los Angeles. "And it’s maybe a little overcautious. The science around this is still pretty sketchy as relates to dental exposure."
For the CNN.com article, Berg was referenced as:
Dr. Joel Berg, chair of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Washington, strongly believes sealants are safe and effective.
"There's more estrogen in a mother's kiss than there is in a sealant," he says.
Questions for Charlotte Pediatric Dentists
If you’re interested in learning more about dental sealants for your child, give Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry a call. Our staff will be happy to give you more information about this cavity-blocking solution.
