Protect Your Child’s Teeth With Dental Sealants

As school is back in session, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new school year. New backpacks, new classes, new teachers, and starting back with sports can bring a lot of enthusiasm to the end of summer. While it is fun shopping for new school supplies and new clothes to prepare for a new school year, don’t forget to think about your child’s smile as s/he goes back to school.

With short lunch periods and minimal time between classes, it is often unrealistic to expect that your kiddo would run to the bathroom to brush his or her teeth after lunch. We get it; being in school is enough to worry about! One easy way to help protect your child’s smile throughout the day is by having dental sealants applied to the back teeth. The molars are notorious for getting cavities, so protecting them with dental sealants is a truly easy option.

Dental sealants are thin coatings of resin that are put on the back molars and then hardened with a special curing light. The process is completely painless and quick, yet it provides months of protection to the back teeth.

Molars are incredibly rough-surfaced, which they were designed to be that way to break down food so that it is easily swallowed. In the rough surfaces of these back teeth, deep pits and fissures are present. These deep grooves often trap particles of food, and if the teeth are not brushed frequently, these food particles can linger in the pits and fissures and cause decay.

Dental sealants do exactly what their name suggests: they seal out particles. When dental sealants are applied to the molars, they create a smoother surface to the back teeth so that particles do not become trapped. Dental sealants also make the back teeth easier to clean because nothing is being caught in the deep grooves of the molars.

Dental sealants are a popular preventive measure for children and adolescents. Once the adult molar teeth erupt in the mouth, it is a good time to talk with your dentist about sealants. At Gwinnett Family Dental Care, we are here to provide optional dental services to all patients. Call today to learn more!