Nothing is more important than providing our pediatric clients with the proper dental care they need to safeguard against cavities and decay. We see decay all too often in children and teens, so it’s our responsibility to make sure that kids are maintaining good oral hygiene. Of course, even with good at-home dental care in place, there are other ways for our Chino Hills, CA, pediatric dentists to reduce your child’s risk for cavities. One way is with dental sealants.
What are dental sealants?
These clear or tooth-colored coatings are applied to the chewing surfaces of your child’s molars to create a protective barrier that prevents food and bacteria from getting trapped in the crevices and ridges of these surfaces. Sealants are typically placed between 5-7 years old, when your child’s first set of molars erupt.
Your child will also benefit from getting dental sealants placed on their second set of molars, which usually erupt around 11-12 years old. By getting dental sealants as soon as your child’s molars erupt, you can start safeguarding them from cavities.
What are the benefits of dental sealants?
There are many benefits to this preventive treatment. Some of these benefits include:
- They protect your child’s back teeth from decay: It’s not too surprising that back teeth are more susceptible to decay, not only because they are a bit harder to clean properly but also because of all the pits and fissures. By smoothing these fissures, we can prevent food and bacteria from getting stuck on your child’s molars, which can lead to decay.
- It prevents plaque buildup: By placing this special dental seal over your child’s molars, we make it difficult for food to get trapped back there. This also makes it more difficult for plaque to buildup, which is a common cause of decay. While you may not see it, plaque is that clear film that sticks to our teeth. It’s important that your child is brushing twice a day and flossing daily to reduce plaque buildup; however, dental sealants can also do their part to prevent plaque buildup on molars.
- It can save you time and money: Preventive dental care is designed to provide your smile with everything it needs to protect against oral disease. By simply placing sealants on your child’s molars, we can reduce the risk for cavities, which means that it also saves your child from having to undergo unnecessary dental procedures to treat cavities both now and in the future.
Does your child have a tooth decay? Dr. Guererro can make a simple fix with sealant filling.
Please call our office today at (909) 464-8181.