February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Did you know that cavities are the most common infectious disease in children and the most common chronic disease in both children and adults? When it comes to your child’s oral health, we offer high-quality dental treatments that protect their developing smile and set the foundation for a lifetime of healthy smiles. One of those preventative treatments from our Valley View Dental Team in Romeoville, Naperville and Montgomery, Illinois is the application of dental sealants.
What Are Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants are applied to both children and adults who are prone to developing cavities as an extra layer of protection. Typically applied to the teeth in the back of the mouth — the molars — sealants make them easier to clean. These teeth are understandably harder to reach and therefore clean properly and it is easy to forget that. Having the extra layer of a sealant between these molars and the oral bacteria, food particles and bacterial film (plaque) in the mouth can mean the difference between healthy teeth and those vulnerable to tooth decay and toothache!
The beauty of dental sealants is that they are made from a clear or tooth-colored resin material. This sealant is painted on the top surface of the tooth that handles the chewing of food, where the grooves and pits of the tooth can harbor bacteria and bits of food left behind after eating. If this debris isn’t cleaned off daily, your molars are then vulnerable to decay. The dental sealant’s smooth coating acts as a protective shield, making it easier to brush and floss over the tooth’s natural pits and grooves and keeping your molars safe.
The best time to apply dental sealants to your child’s teeth is between the ages of 6 and 12, as their permanent molars erupt. Your adult molars can also be treated with dental sealants if you have a history of cavities from tooth decay or have molars that need restoring. The dental sealant treatment is quick, easy and effective, can be done in a short visit with no discomfort from the sealant application.
Call Today!
As National Toothache day looms on the horizon, dental sealants offer excellent oral health benefits for your child and are a safe, preventative service that should be routinely done as needed. If you would like to learn more about dental sealants in Romeoville, Naperville and Montgomery, Illinois, or to schedule a visit with our dentists, please give us a call today at a location nearest you!