Dental Sealants
Dentist Mt Pleasant
Dental Sealants Are Perfect For Protecting You Against Tooth Decay
If you think there should be a better way for you and your family to prevent cavities and tooth decay, then you will be glad to know that dentists now have the perfect method to just that!
Acting as a shield against acids, plaque, food particles and mouth bacteria, dental sealants can prevent harmful bacteria and cavity forming decay from growing in the grooves of your teeth. These protective dental sealants will minimize the chances of severe dental issues from developing in the future, and serve as a great preventative measure.
These sealants are manufactured from a thin coating of plastic which are either clear or white in color. In order to ensure that food particles and bacteria do not get into the microscopic grooves of your teeth where tooth decay first begins, a dental hygienist will brush this special sealant into and over those grooves.
This dental sealant procedure is painless, fast and simple:
- It requires no anesthesia, shots or drilling, since there is no need for removal of the tooth structure.
- The first step is to clean the tooth, then to apply a special gel to the chewing surface of the tooth for just a few seconds.
- The next step is to wash the tooth thoroughly and let it dry.
- The final step is to apply the special dental sealant, and harden it with a bright curing light for about sixty seconds.
This sealant is generally bonded onto the permanent teeth of adults and children, and since tooth decay and cavities can start early in life, children and teenagers are actually the perfect candidates for these dental sealants.
Of course, this does not mean there is little benefit for adults, as most dentists consider this special sealing compound to be crucial in the prevention of cavities and decay in all ages, but most especially in children and teenagers.
Even though the front most teeth are what everyone seems the most interested in protecting from a purely aesthetic point of view, dentists also recommend that your back teeth, especially your molars and in children, the premolars also be protected with dental sealants.
Dentists now realize that these molars should be protected at an early age, before cavities have a chance to form, and children get their first set of molars (pre-molars) at around the age of six, with their permanent molars coming in at about 12 years of age.
As a first line of defense against mouth bacteria and oral decay, dental sealants are a painless, safe and cost-effective procedure. They can provide a long-term seal of protection before they will need to be reapplied, usually lasting five to ten years!
It is a well-known fact in the dental industry that even the best toothbrushes cannot reach into all the microscopic grooves of the tooth enamel, even though their patients practice effective at-home oral hygiene. It is impossible for those stray food particles and plaque to get into these groves when dental sealants are correctly applied.
It is of the utmost importance to remember that a tooth can be damaged permanently if tooth decay is allowed to form!
The ADA (American Dental Association) has published some essential home dental care habits that they recommend everyone follow, so you and your family will need to commit to abiding by these guidelines if you are to have success with sealants and any other dental program.
These include cutting way back on sugary foods and drinks, adopting a nutritious diet, flossing your teeth daily, and brushing them thoroughly two-three times every day. Following these well-proven guidelines will help you greatly in avoiding oral health problems.
Isn’t it high time for you to call your dentist for an appointment to have protective dental sealant applied to yours and your family’s teeth as a barrier to bacteria and decay?
