Reducing tooth decay with sealants

Brushing and flossing are the best ways to help prevent cavities, but it’s not always easy to clean every nook and cranny of your teeth – especially those back teeth you use to chew (called molars). Molars are rough, uneven and a favourite place for leftover food and cavity-causing bacteria to hide.

Still, there’s another safety net to help keep those teeth clean. It’s called a sealant, and it is a thin, protective coating (made from plastic or other dental materials) that adheres to the chewing surface of your back teeth. They’re no substitute for brushing and flossing, but they can keep cavities from forming and may even stop early stages of decay from becoming a full-blown cavity.

In fact, sealants have been shown to reduce the risk of decay by nearly 80 per cent in molars. This is especially important when it comes to your child’s dental health. A report was released on the importance of sealants for school-aged children, ages 6-11. It showed that “children without sealants presented almost three times more cavities than children with sealants.”

How do sealants work?

When the cavity-causing bacteria that live in everyone’s mouth meet leftover food particles, they produce acids that can create holes in teeth. These holes are cavities. After sealant has been applied it keeps those bits of food out and stops bacteria and acid from settling on your teeth.

Who can get sealants?

Children and adults can benefit from sealants, but the earlier you get them, the better. Your first molars appear around age 6, and second molars break through around age 12. Sealing these teeth as soon as they come through can keep them cavity-free from the start, which helps save time and money in the long run.

How are sealants applied?

It’s a quick and painless process. We will clean and dry your tooth before placing an acidic gel on your teeth. This gel roughs up your tooth surface, so a strong bond will form between your tooth and the sealant. After a few seconds, We will rinse off the gel and dry your tooth once again before applying the sealant onto the grooves of your tooth. We will then use a special blue light to harden the sealant.

Sealants can be used over areas of early decay to prevent further damage to your tooth.