If you are a parent who has recently brought your child to a Plympton, MA, dentist, then you may have been told to consider Dental Sealants for your child’s teeth. What are dental sealants, though? And why does our dentist in Plympton recommend them for teeth that will eventually fall out and be replaced by adult teeth? Here is the full scoop on dental sealants and why they are worth considering for your child.

Learn About Dental Sealants from Our Experienced Plympton, MA, Dentist

Typically, the areas that benefit from sealants are the grooves on top of your child’s back teeth (the molars and premolars). These grooves can easily get food, sugar, and bacteria caught in them, and only a properly thorough brushing twice daily can remove those trapped particles.

Unfortunately, children haven’t learned how to brush properly yet, and even with a parent’s assistance, those back tooth grooves may not get the attention they deserve. (If you’ve ever tried to brush a 2 or 3-year-old’s teeth, you know what we’re talking about!) Combine insufficient brushing techniques with a child’s love for sweet foods, and you have a real recipe for cavities.

Dental Sealants to the Rescue!

Think of dental sealants as a force field for your child’s tooth. Sealants are made of a tooth-colored plastic material that our Plympton, MA, dentist applies to your child’s tooth in a thin layer. The sealant fills in those deep grooves, keeping out food particles and bacteria. In this way, your child’s tooth stays protected while they mature and get the hang of proper brushing and flossing.

Why Use Sealants on Baby Teeth? Our Plympton, MA, Dentist Explains

Many parents ask our Plympton dentist why sealants are necessary. After all, if the tooth is eventually going to fall out, then why bother to take steps to save it?

The fact is, a child’s temporary baby tooth can cause just as much pain and health trouble as a permanent adult tooth. And if a child’s baby tooth gets a cavity, you can’t simply wait for it to fall out naturally. After all, it takes years for baby teeth to come out and be replaced by adult teeth. In the meantime, an untreated cavity could lead to numerous complications – pain, infection, and even illness or death if the infection makes it into a child’s blood stream. Having your Plympton, MA, dentist remove an infected baby tooth before its natural time can cause complications with your child’s jaw development, too.

In short, your child’s health and facial development will benefit when you take steps to protect their baby teeth. With sealants, you can breathe a little easier on those nights that your young one struggles with brushing.

Call Our Plympton, MA, Dentist to Learn More About Dental Sealants for Children

The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to dentistry, feel free to contact Luxe Smile Dentistry, with a convenient dental office near Plympton, MA, by clicking here or by calling 781.319.0070.