Keeping Cavities Away With Dental Sealants

Posted July 16, 2024

During summer, kids tend to snack a lot and get lax in their brushing and flossing routine, which means they have a higher risk of tooth decay! But we have preventive treatments to help lower the risk of cavities, such as dental sealants. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about the benefits of our dental sealants.

Understanding Childhood Cavities

The outer enamel helps protect the teeth from the onset of issues like tooth decay. However, various factors could lead to plaque buildup that can weaken and erode the outer enamel, which allows harmful bacteria to reach the inner dentin, causing a cavity to form. Factors behind plaque buildup and weakened enamel include poor brushing and flossing habits, a diet high in sugar and starch, and infrequent visits for checkups and cleanings. Without treatment to address the decay, the cavity could become an infection that threatens overall oral health. Our team can treat cavities with a composite resin filling, but we also have a treatment to help lower the risk of a cavity even forming!

Dental Sealants

For most kids, reaching the molars in the rear of the mouth can be difficult. Which means even if they brush and floss, food and drink particles can become trapped between these teeth. Harmful oral bacteria then break them down, leading to the onset of cavities. But with dental sealants, we place a protective acrylic coating on these teeth. The coating prevents food and drink particles from being trapped between these teeth. Kids then have a lowered risk of cavities, as the sealants can stay in place for up to ten years. Placement is simple. We will clean the teeth and then apply the acrylic coating to them. Kids then avoid food and drink for about a half hour as the material fully cures. We don’t need to remove it ever, as it gently wears away with time. But we can re-apply as necessary!

Continuing Your Child’s Care at Home

To continue to help protect your kids from tooth decay, at home try to limit how much sugar and starch are in their diets. Be sure they brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste for two minutes, and that they floss every evening before they brush that second time. These actions help fight the onset of cavities for kids of all ages! If you have any questions, contact our team today.

Do You Have Questions About Fighting Tooth Decay?

Our team wants to help your child avoid issues like tooth decay and infection with preventive treatments. To learn more about how our team can reduce the risk of tooth decay, then please contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.