Sealants are a fantastic tool to protect children’s teeth from cavities! Your grandmother’s plastic couch covers protect flowery fabric from damage. Sealants protect teeth from the cavity causing activities of life.
The plastic coating fills in and protects the hard places where bacteria love to hide, reducing the chances of needing a filling.
And, sealants do more than protect from bacteria; the plastic resin in sealants also guards tooth enamel from acids.
Proper brushing and flossing help get rid of food particles and plaque on the smooth surfaces of teeth. But toothbrush bristles can’t reach all the way into the grooves of some teeth, making it difficult to dislodge food and bacteria.
Sealants are usually used just on permanent teeth and take a few minutes to apply. The application is as follows:
- The tooth will be cleaned
- Then the chewing surface will be roughened so the sealant will stick
- A sealant will be painted on
- Then a curing light will be held over the sealant
And poof! Just like that, bacteria and acid are sealed out from attacking the tooth…just like that fantastic couch cover grandma loves so much.
So, next time your dentist asks about applying sealants, make sure you say yes. You’ll save yourself time and money while preventing future cavities.
