Your child’s dental health is crucial to their, happiness, and quality of life. Talk to your family dentist about how dental sealants can protect your child’s teeth.
Oral hygiene, especially in children, is about a lot more than just having a good smile. Children who have good dental habits will generally be healthier and happier than those who have dental issues.
Though many parents believe that oral care for children with baby teeth is of little importance, there are many reasons why dental care should be a top priority for parents and their little ones including the fact that it:
- establishes good dental habits early on
- eliminates or reduces dental cavities and prevents many of the sources of dental pain
- protects oral and overall health by preventing germs from entering the body
- saves money by lowering your child’s need for corrective dental care
At Marlborough Dental Centre, we offer a wide range of adult, children, and senior dentistry services to take care of the oral needs of your entire family! From dental emergencies to teeth whitening and customised Invisalign treatments, we have everything you need for a healthy, beautiful smile.
Protect Your Child’s Teeth With Dental Sealants
Encouraging your child to practice good dental habits such as brushing and flossing daily is important to ensure they have good dental health. However, while this removes food particles and plaque from the smooth surfaces of teeth, brushing doesn’t always get into the nooks and crannies of the back teeth.
Family dentists often suggest that parents consider using dental sealants to protect these vulnerable areas of their children’s teeth from tooth decay. These work by ‘sealing out’ plaque and food.
What are dental sealants?
A dental sealant is a protective barrier that is placed on a child’s teeth (especially the back ones) for the purpose of keeping out food and bacteria which could lead to cavities. These should be used in conjunction with proper brushing, flossing and a healthy diet.
Which teeth should be sealed and when?
The number of teeth that should be sealed depends highly on your child’s vulnerability to developing cavities. For maximum protection, dental sealants should be applied as soon as possible after permanent tooth eruption.
When is this? Permanent tooth eruption occurs at around the age of six for most children.
What to Expect During a Dental Sealant Procedure
Dentists often recommend dental sealants for children because it’s a painless procedure and doesn’t require any drilling or numbing medications. Here’s what to expect from the treatment:
1. Tooth preparation. Your dental hygienist will remove the plaque and food debris from your child’s tooth. They will then isolate and dry it, before etching the surface of the tooth.
2. Sealant application. Next, the dental sealant material is applied using a brush. A special light will be used to bond the sealant to the tooth’s surface.
3. Evaluation. Before you leave the dental office, your dentist will evaluate the dental sealant and check its occlusion. Once the sealant has hardened, your child will be able to chew on the tooth again.
Want to know if a dental sealant is the right procedure for your child? Get in touch!
Other Preventative Measures To Keep Your Child’s Teeth Healthy
While sealants are an important preventative measure to ensure your child’s teeth are protected from decay, there are other ways to keep your little one’s mouth healthy. This includes brushing and flossing daily, as well as:
- limiting sugary foods, as this reduces the amount of decay-causing acids
- visiting your children’s dentist regularly for checkups to identify potential dental problems early on
- going for regular professional teeth cleanings to prevent gum disease
Call Today
To find out more about the costs and benefits of dental sealants, and how they can benefit your child’s oral health, contact our Calgary family dentists at 403-248-2066 or fill in our online contact form.
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