Three Essential Tips for Preserving Dental Sealants and Preventing Decay

Dentist Blog

Dental sealants can help you protect your children from the consequences of tooth decay and cavities. These products are highly valuable after the permanent teeth erupt. In simple terms, the plastic dental film will cover the grooves on the molars of your child's teeth. Typically, harmful oral bacteria hide in the fissures of the molars. When these microorganisms digest sugars, they produce acids which corrode the teeth, causing decay and cavities. The sealants will minimise the growth of the bacteria and the consequences of the produced acids. If your child has sealants, consider using these practical to prolong the life of the sealant and promote optimal cavity protection.

Avoid Damaging Foods

There are some foods which can cause extensive damage to the dental sealants. These edibles can cause the dislodgement of the protective film, or the sealant might partially break. When this happens, the teeth will be once again exposed to the damaging effects of bacteria. Therefore, you must ensure that your children do not consume anything that will but undue pressure on the sealants. They should avoid hard, chewy and sticky foods such as ice, taffy and caramel.

You should also remember that the application of the sealants does not render the teeth immune to cavities and decay. Therefore, you should still limit the sugar intake by your children. If the teeth are exposed to sugar, the oral bacteria will be more active. A lot of acid of acid will be produced, and it could damage the unsealed teeth and the exposed areas of the sealed ones. If the children cannot avoid sweets completely, you should at least monitor and control.

Encourage Rinsing After Meals

You should encourage your children to brush their teeth after meals, especially after eating foods with sugar. This habit discourages the constant growth of bacteria in the mouth, and minimises the amount of acid produced by these microorganisms. Unfortunately, brushing teeth might not be a valid solution after all meals. Therefore, you should have your child rinse out the mouth with water to eliminate food residues. Alternatively, they can chew sugarless gum to promote saliva flow.

Teach Proper Flossing Techniques

Finally, you should remember that the dental sealant will not protect the gaps in between the teeth from harmful bacteria. So, plaque and other harmful deposits can easily develop in these spaces. You can prevent the detriment of decay in the gaps by teaching your child to floss correctly. If they cannot use the standard floss from a spool, they can use floss holders.

For more tips on taking care of your kid's dental sealants, talk to a child dentist in your area.

Share

21 February 2018

Fillings: Everything You Need to Know

Hi! Welcome to my blog! My name is Kerry, and this blog is focused on dental fillings. It looks at the history of fillings, options for contemporary fillings, how to protect your fillings, when to replace them and much more. If you have ever had a cavity filled or if you are planning to get a tooth filled, you will find the information in this blog useful. I try to look at fillings from all angles, and I even plan to look at how to avoid fillings through proper dental hygiene and sealants. Thanks for reading, and I hope you find the info intellectually "filling."