What Are Dental Sealants and How do They Work?

 

To maintain perfect oral health, you should brush your teeth and floss every day. However, there are times when these two essential activities are not enough to keep your mouth clean. Your primary chewing teeth – molars and premolars – are to be blamed for this. These are the uneven teeth at the back of your mouth, which help break and grind the food. While essential in their characteristics, they offer a rough texture and an ample area for food to get stuck. It's tricky to clean them and get all the food particles out. 

This is why dental sealants are growing popular as a preferred procedure to keep molars clean.

What Is Dental Sealant?

Dental sealants are thin coatings of plastic. When painted over your chewing teeth, they can protect them from cavities and tooth decay for years to come. The protective layers shield food particles from getting stuck on the tooth surfaces. While they're beneficial, they aren't a substitute to brushing teeth. According to the Center for Disease Control, dental sealants help reduce the risk of tooth decay by 80%.

How Do They Work?

To understand the functionality of dental sealants, imagine a raincoat. Just like the coat protects you from getting soaked in the rain, dental sealants make a protective layer on your teeth that stops food particles and bacteria from nesting and growing in the grooves of your teeth. 

Who Can Get Them?

It's more common for children to get dental sealants. Molars start to erupt when children are between the age of six and eleven. According to the CDC, school-going children who don't have sealants are three times more prone to tooth decay and cavities than those who get them at early stages. Therefore, we advise you to start early and save yourself and your children from dental issues later. 

 

How Are They Applied?

According to the American Dental Association, it's a relatively simple process. Your dentist will begin by cleaning and drying your teeth. Then they will put a small amount of acidic gel on your tooth to make it rough. It will allow the sealant to get stuck onto your teeth. After a rinse, your dentist will apply the sealant and use a special blue light to harden it.

How Long Do They Last?

Dental Sealants can last up to a decade if you take proper care of them. During regular dental visits, your dentist will see if the sealant is fine. If not, they will re-apply it. 

If you're in areas around Germantown and are looking to get dental sealants, you should visit the Advanced Dental Center. We offer dental cleaning, teeth whitening, cosmetic and preventive dentistry, and orthodontist services – serving bright smiles for the past fifteen years.