{"id":1352,"date":"2022-09-21T21:43:35","date_gmt":"2022-09-21T21:43:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/dental-care-blog\/how-do-dental-sealants-prevent-cavities\/"},"modified":"2022-09-21T21:43:35","modified_gmt":"2022-09-21T21:43:35","slug":"how-do-dental-sealants-prevent-cavities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/dental-care-blog\/how-do-dental-sealants-prevent-cavities\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do Dental Sealants Prevent Cavities?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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AS A PARENT,<\/b> maybe you spend a lot of your time worrying about whether your child\u2019s teeth will develop cavities. Obviously, it\u2019s critical to teach them how to brush and floss and encourage them to do so daily, but there\u2019s something else that can help prevent childhood tooth decay: dental sealants.<\/p>\n

The Battle Between Your Child\u2019s Teeth and Bacteria<\/h3>\n

40% of children develop cavities by the time they begin school.<\/strong> This is a result of poor oral hygiene and frequent consumption of sugary drinks and snacks, and it\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to help them build strong oral health habits at an early age. The human mouth contains many species of bacteria, some of which consume the leftover sugar on our teeth and then excrete acid onto them. As tough as tooth enamel is, it\u2019s very vulnerable to acid, so this causes tooth decay.<\/p>\n

The ways we keep oral bacteria in check are brushing, flossing, and limiting our sugar intake. Even then, there are still crevices in our teeth where bacteria can hide, particularly for a child who doesn\u2019t have the dexterity yet to brush as effectively<\/strong>. That\u2019s where dental sealants come in.<\/p>\n

What Exactly Are Dental Sealants?<\/h3>\n

Dental sealants are simply a layer of clear plastic that can be brushed onto the chewing surfaces<\/strong> of teeth in order to \u201cseal them off\u201d from cavity-causing plaque and bacteria. Dentists have been using sealants since the 1960s. They\u2019ve been popular for so long due to how effective they are, as they reduce the risk of childhood tooth decay in the back teeth by up to 80%!<\/p>\n

Sealants are typically applied to the molars because they do the most chewing and have deep crevices where bacteria can hide. Sealants fill in and cover these crevices and act as a shield against bacteria. Even better, the application process is so quick and painless that we can do it in the course of a normal appointment<\/strong>!<\/p>\n