When Do Children Need Sealants for their Teeth?

Prevention is best when it comes to the health of your family, and it is important that you are proactive to teach your children about good dental health. Even if your child is brushing and flossing regularly, it is possible that they might experience tooth decay at some point or another. There are a few things that you can do to prevent the decay and keep your child’s teeth in good condition.

What are Dental Sealants?

When a sealant treatment is done, it places a plastic material that is formed onto the chewing surfaces of the teeth. Molars naturally have fissures and pits where particles of food can collect, which can lead to tooth decay if the food particles stay in the same place.

Instead of keeping those pits and fissures open to collect food, sealants can be placed over the surface of the tooth to seal it up. This dental treatment is ideal for children because it keeps their teeth protected in the early years of their life. It takes some time for the child to develop good dental habits, so the dental sealants can keep the chewing areas of the teeth protected.

Who Needs Dental Sealants?

It is likely that children and teenagers will have the crevices and grooves in their teeth that can lead to tooth decay, so dental sealants are typically applied. But, there are situations when adults can benefit from these dental sealants later in life as well, especially if they don’t have fillings or decay in their molars.

The typical recommendation is to have the dental sealants placed as soon as the permanent molars grow into a child’s mouth. Many dentists agree that the cavity prone years are between the ages of 6 to 14, and this treatment can prevent the decay during these times.

There are certain circumstances when sealants might be applied to baby teeth, especially if the baby teeth have deep grooves and depressions. Since the baby teeth hold the space for the permanent teeth to grow in, it is essential to keep these teeth healthy and avoid tooth decay.

Schedule an Appointment for Sealants

If you have a child that is between the ages of 6 and 14 years old, then right now is a great time to have dental sealants placed on their teeth. Contact us to schedule an appointment, and we will gladly help with the regular checkup and the placement of dental sealants. We can also help with a variety of other dental treatments. Contact us today to learn more!