Molars of adults and children have fissures and grooves that are difficult to clean even with careful brushing and flossing. Food, plaque, and bacteria buildup in the crevices cause tooth decay. Children are recommended dental sealants on their permanent molars immediately after erupting between the ages of six and 12 by the American Academy of pediatric dentistry.
Dental sealants are a liquid plastic coating applied to the chewing surfaces of the molars to create a preventive barrier to protect them from plaque and acid to inhibit the risk of cavities. Children and adults can both have dental sealants on their molars as a preventive measure.
The application of dental sealants is a painless procedure accomplished by the phoenix dentist in one visit to the dental office. The tooth sealant prevents decay before it can begin by not allowing plaque to remain in contact with the teeth.
The Application of Dental Sealants
As mentioned earlier, the process is painless and straightforward. Explained below are the five necessary steps the dentist will follow during the application.
- The dentist uses a tool known as an explorer to look for grooves and fissures in your molars.
- A special gel or liquid is applied to the molars to roughen the surface to help the sealant adhere.
- Your molars are rinsed and dried.
- The dental sealant is applied to the molars with a brush to protect and seal the teeth.
- Depending on the type of sealant used, the dentist may use a special light to harden it.
What to Expect After the Dental Sealant Procedure?
After dentistry in phoenix has completed sealing your teeth, you are free to eat and drink or do anything else you please. The application will feel odd to begin, but you will soon get accustomed to it. After a few days, you won’t realize that sealants are present on your molars.
The application of dental sealants does not require significant changes in your diet. However, Dental therapy will recommend that you avoid hard and sticky foods because they can be damaging. Biting down on hard stuff like ice, hard candies, and other foods can cause the dental sealants to break. The situation will be similar if you have chewy and sticky foods, gummy candy, caramel, and toffee because they can stick to the sealant to pull them off.
Avoiding the foods mentioned will ensure the dental sealants last on the molars for the period specified by the dentist. It also ensures that they provide optimal protection for your teeth and prevent the need for frequent applications during routine exams and cleanings.
Caring for Dental Sealants
Besides avoiding the foods mentioned, it would be helpful if you and your children maintain a healthy diet by limiting sugary foods and beverages. These foods are the prime culprits of tooth decay and cavities. The restrictions may appear challenging initially, but are necessary if you want to protect your molars from unwanted issues.
The reason why you decided to opt for dental sealants from the Phoenix dentist and also spent some money is to prevent cavities and tooth decay. Dental sealants cannot function by themselves without help from you with some dental sealants after-care.
Avoiding the foods mentioned and sticking to the diet recommended is not the only requirement to care for dental sealants. You must also ensure your child brushes twice a day for two minutes each with fluoride toothpaste, floss at least once a day, and visit the dentist for regular dental checkups every six months.
The habits suggested will ensure you take appropriate care of not just your molars that are protected by dental sealants. They can also help you to save money by preventing the need for additional applications, which the dentist would undoubtedly recommend if any damages are noticed to your original application.
The recommendations are similar to what your dentist tells you and do not require any additional effort on your part. You must understand that if you have invested in dental sealants to protect your teeth, you may as well follow the recommendations to protect the adhesives from any damages. Dental sealants have a lifespan of over five years. Therefore you must make every effort to ensure you benefit entirely from the protection they can offer.
Do you believe dental sealant’s application permits you to have any food you want because your molars are protected? Read what you can or cannot have with dental sealants in this blog.