When and Why Your Children Need Dental Sealants

A pediatric dentist has a lot of input when it comes to the health of your child. They know what works best, and what is doing a disservice to the teeth of your young one. The older your kids get, the more they require dental care. Each stage of their life introduces something new for their oral health. From teeth problems to losing teeth and growing new ones, a lot can change. Besides, you have to account for the changes in their eating habits. It is why preventive dentistry is important.

What Are Dental Sealants?

They are dental appliances used in preventive dentistry to protect teeth. They are a proactive measure that dentists take to ensure that teeth to not succumb to dental cavities. For children, dental sealants are very useful, as soon as the back teeth start growing. Permanent teeth do not regrow once they are damaged. Knowing that it is your initiative as a parent to help take care of the permanent teeth of your child before they are well placed to do it themselves.

Dental sealant treatment has been offered so many times for children, even though adults too can benefit. Children need it because they more easily fall into tooth decay than adults.

When Do Children Need Oral Sealants?

As your child begins to have teething problems, they are still very young for dental sealants for kids. However, once the milk teeth are lost and permanent ones grow, it may be time to consider kids’ first dental services near you. The back teeth mostly benefit from teeth sealants. Therefore, as soon as you notice the growth of premolars and molars, talk to a pediatric dentist in Lancaster, SC to sign your child up for teeth sealants.

Why Do Children Need Oral Sealants?

Sealants for your teeth are beneficial as a preventive measure against cavities. For adults, there are better ways to take care of your teeth, including regular brushing and flossing. However, your child may need oral sealants because:

1. Poor oral hygiene – children are not the best in taking care of their teeth. Brushing twice every day for them feels like an extra chore. In that case, they may overlook their oral health, and encourage the formation of plaque and harmful bacteria on their teeth.
2. Bad eating habits – children pick up bad eating habits as they grow up. Habits like crushing on hard foods like candy, ice cubes, pens, among other things, pose danger to their teeth. In time, most children either suffer from tooth decay or break their teeth.
3. Sweet tooth – most kids, if not all, have a sweet tooth. From cookies and other sweet pastries, candies and chocolates, sodas and other soft drinks, children are almost always eating sugary foods. As much as you may try to keep their calorie levels in check, the dental health may be sabotaged. Sugary foods are very good at causing cavities on teeth.
4. Cavity prevention – sealants protect teeth from cavities up to 80%. Most children without teeth sealants are 3 times more likely to get dental cavities than those will the protectants. Knowing this, then it counts that the back teeth of your child are protected.
5. Painless dental care procedure – granted, almost all children have dental anxiety. With phobia of sitting on a dentist’s chair, the last thing you want is to put your child through a painful and traumatic experience. Luckily, oral sealants are nothing of the sort. They are easy to apply, are non-invasive and painless. Once your child experiences this, then they may not have much to be scared of in dental care. Besides, the protectants are excellent in preventing tooth damages that may cause pain and instill more phobia on your child.

Cost-effectiveness – other than the fact that you save up on costs that would go to other dental restorative treatments, sealants are cost-effective in a different way. Most health insurance plans cover teeth sealant for children under the age of 18, as part of dental care. Before you make any decisions, consult with your insurance company about your cover plan regarding oral sealants.