Part of the responsibilities of our dentists in Rockwall, TX is to help patients prevent dental problems like tooth decay and cavities. However, it is often difficult for small children if they consume too many sugary foods and drinks. To help parents prevent their little ones from having unhealthy teeth, dentists at Lakeside Dental Solutions can apply sealants to their teeth.
A sealant is a plastic coating brushed on the chewing surfaces of the premolars and molars. As the coating dries, it practically shrink wraps the teeth to prevent sugary residue from drinks and food debris from getting trapped on the surfaces or between teeth. A sealant is easy to apply as all our dentists need to do is brush the liquid substance onto the surfaces of children’s teeth.
The best age for applying sealants near you to a child’s teeth is when they are around five to seven years old. That is when their first set of permanent premolars and molars erupt from their gums. When their second set of molars erupt, around the age of 11 to 13, they can get them sealed as well.
By being careful with what your children eat and maintaining excellent oral hygiene habits, their sealants can last about four years. During the first two years, they can prevent up to 80 percent of cavities, and during the third and fourth years, about 50% of them. If a sealant rips or gets holes in it, our dentists near you can repair them by applying more sealant to the teeth’s surfaces.
Although they are primarily for children, adults can have our dentists apply a sealant to their teeth. However, many adults do not qualify because their teeth may have decay damage or gum disease. If an adult asks for a sealant, one of our dentists can examine their teeth to determine if they have active decay. If not, then the dentist may apply a sealant.
If you want your children to have healthy teeth, book an appointment to have one of our dentists at Lakeside Dental Solutions apply dental sealants in Rockwall, TX.