5 Things You Should Know About Dental Sealants For Young Children
The ramifications of tooth decay can be serious for young children. Because a child's first set of teeth saves the space for the second set of teeth (the adult teeth), losing just one tooth can damage their dental development. This is why it's so important to enlist the aid of a pediatric dentist as soon as your child's first teeth come through.
A children's dentist can protect your child's teeth from tooth decay with dental sealants. If you are unsure of what dental sealants are and what they do, then read on to find out more.
1. Sealants protect premolars and molars
The teeth that are most at risk from tooth decay are the premolars and molars. That's because these teeth have grooves and pits in the biting surfaces where food debris can lodge. Dental sealants can fill in these areas and stop food from lodging there.
2. Sealants add another layer to the thin enamel of baby teeth
Baby teeth have a thinner layer of enamel than adult teeth. This is why dental sealants are a good idea for baby teeth. Dental sealants prevent tooth decay from destroying the thin enamel layer of baby premolars and molars.
3. Sealant placement is quick and painless
Your child won't suffer during sealant placement because the process is fast and painless. Your child's dentist will simply clean the tooth surfaces, ensure that they are dry, then add the sealants and wait for them to dry.
4. Sealants last until the permanent teeth erupt
Sealants can last up to ten years. Since the full set of adult teeth, aside from the wisdom teeth, erupt by about the age of twelve, dental sealants should serve as effective protection until then. If your child has a sweet tooth, then ask your pediatric dentist to add dental sealants to their teeth at an early age to ensure their teeth are well-protected.
5. Sealants could break if exposed to hard foods or objects regularly
Hard foods like boiled candy can damage dental sealants. And if your child has a habit of chewing the ice in their drinks, this too can damage their dental sealants. As such, try to teach your child to eat softer foods and to throw their ice away rather than chew it.
Dental sealants can keep your child's first set of teeth safe from cavities. See a pediatric dental office if you worry that your child's teeth might be at risk of tooth decay, like Northshore Pediatric Dentistry.
