Parents can all agree that their child’s health is on the top of their priority list. Keeping kids healthy can prove to be a challenge, but in terms of oral health, there are measures to take to make sure our children are off to a good start. While keeping their baby teeth healthy is important, what can you do to ensure their adult teeth are protected from tooth decay? Read on to find out how!
Tooth decay is one of the most common reasons for any person, your or old, to walk into a dental office. Alarmingly, forty percent of children will get a cavity before they even get to kindergarten! Sugary snacks and undeveloped oral hygiene habits play a big part in this. One option to keep your child out of that percentage and it is called dental sealants. Applied to adult molars, the risk of cavities is lowered drastically.
The dental sealant material is used to cover spaces and crevices in and between molars where food particles and oral bacteria love to spend their days. Sealants are used, essential, to blanket the molars and keep these things, giving your child’s mouth heightened health. While sealants don’t replace brushing and flossing, they ensure bacteria, and food does not lay dormant in your child’s mouth. The best time to get a sealant treatment is around age six when most of their baby teeth have fallen out and made way for their permanent, adult teeth.
Applying the sealant won’t cause your child any pain and is very quick. The dentist begins by extensively cleaning and brushing your child’s tooth; after the mouth is blown dry before a clear gel is laid on top of the teeth. In order to cure or harden the gel material, a UV light is used. This sealant, depending on how well it is maintained can last five to 10 years. An experienced and professional dentist will ensure to keep an eye on your child’s teeth every time they come in for a check-up.
Talk to your child’s dentist today to see if this is an option for you!