Dental Sealants

Children are more likely to develop cavities than adults for several reasons:

• Still learning good oral hygiene techniques

• Smaller mouth

• Hard to reach back teeth when brushing

• Teeth have smaller nooks and crannies that trap food

• They tend to like sweets and candy more than vegetables

Some children have a harder time learning to care for their teeth. They do not realize the importance of clean teeth, or they just do not like having to brush their teeth. Some helpful parental suggestions are to buy the smaller children’s toothbrushes for easier maneuvering in the mouth. Toothpaste designed to encourage brushing is also available. The toothbrushes and toothpaste are available in bright colors and with favorite characters to make brushing more fun for the children.

Lack of brushing or inadequate brushing allows food to remain on the teeth and bacteria to accumulate. The plaque that forms causes decay of the tooth enamel (cavities) that require removal and repair or could advance to larger cavities and possibly infection.

The CDC (Center for Disease Control) also recommends children get dental sealants to help prevent cavities. The sealant is easy and painless to apply to teeth and seals the nooks and crannies to prevent food from getting stuck on the teeth.

A small brush is used to brush on the sealant which is essentially a rubber coating. After application, the dentists at Family Dental Group of Greenville will monitor the sealant for cracks or wear. If the sealant becomes damaged or wears thin, it can be reapplied easily.