Does a Child need sealants again?

Protecting the child’s teeth from tooth decay and loss is actually super important, especially in young children. It actually can be used in baby teeth along with permanent teeth. It’s often recommended that sealants are put on the teeth on the first or second set of permeant molars, and on the other teeth as well. Your dentist might even tell you to get the sealants replaced before the permanent teeth arrive. Why is that? Well, you’re about to find out.

You might wonder what sealants are. Essentially, they’re hard, plastic shields put on the chewing surface of molars and pre-molars, which will seal the surface for the tooth. They work to keep food and other bacterial material from getting trapped and causing decay, which leads to cavities. These can actually reduce decay on the molars by 81% two years after place, and they can continue up to almost five years after they get placed. This is good for any parent that actually wants to have protection against cavities on those, they’re a great starting point.

You might wonder if it is common to replace a sealant. In truth, it’s not likely. For many people, they can last about 15 or so years, but sometimes, the need to do so does arise. This is something that happens when children tend to clench their teeth, have a habit of biting pens and pencils which in turn will get rid of them, or those that like to either chew on ice, or on hard candy. This in turn will cause the chips or cracks on the sealants, which is why you’ve got to replace them. If you or your child has that, get that replaced.

This can also be put on younger kids that have to replace them due to maybe hurting their teeth. If they fall and break a tooth, or some type of trauma, this actually can affect the durability of the sealant, which causes grounds for a replacement. They definitely are great, and you should definitely make sure that you do your research on this, and you’ll be able to figure out for yourself if this is the right thing for you.

Now sealants are super simple to put on a child’s teeth. It might seem scary, but as they’re put on, they typically are just a covering over the teeth. They can be put on the molars and premolars if they are baby teeth, and if the teeth are adult, they also can be put on there. It’s a great investment, because let’s face it, that’s one of the more troublesome areas for a child, and when they’re put on when a child is 7-8, they can last to the mid-20’s, allowing for decay to be much lessened. For other people, this can really help, especially if you’re prone to decay and cavities.

For a child that has a family history of cavities, these can be a lifesaver. In truth, cavities on these areas are the worst, since you use them to chew and such, and fillings often don’t last very long if they’re not properly taken care of. But, with this in mind, and with a good idea of all that is happening, you’ll be able to help protect the child with these sealants. Sealants are super easy, and they can be used to really help you get the most out of your oral health, and it’ll allow you to have a great idea of how much you need to do in order to take care of your teeth.

They’re also not super expensive either. You should talk to your Roseburg dentist to get an idea of what you’ll need in order to get this done, including the exact process, and when they should be done. Taking your child in for biannual checkups will allow the dentist to measure the growth and progress of this, which in turn will allow you to have a much better sort of means of success. Do this, and you’ll be able to keep your child’s teeth for a long time, and it’ll teach them good habits to put in as well that will in turn last a lifetime.