Understanding Dental Sealants

Keeping your mouth clean and healthy is one of the most important things that you can do. One of the tools that professional dentists use to improve and maintain oral health is by using dental sealants. When you go to the dentist, they may suggest that you get a dental sealant.

While dental sealants are an excellent option for keeping your teeth healthy and clean, not many people know about them or understand the process. It’s important that you understand all of your options and how they can benefit you and your smile.

What are Dental Sealants?

Dental sealants are a simple way to keep your teeth clean. They are a thin coating that sticks on your teeth. The sealants are made out of plastic or some other dental material. The dentist or dental assistant will put the plastic covering over the chewing part of your teeth. These are the areas that the biggest dips in the surface, which means they are more likely to have decay or buildup which can lead to cavities. 

These sealants are great for keeping your teeth clean and healthy, especially in some areas that are harder to reach or are forgotten about when brushing. But, if you have sealant placed, that doesn’t mean that you can quit brushing all together, it’s vital that you maintain proper care.

Think of these sealants as covers for an expensive car. Those covers protect the car from any bugs, weather, leaves, etc., when you take the cover off of the car, it’s as clean as new. Dental sealants work much the same way. When placed on your teeth, the prevent food and bacteria from settling or getting in-between your teeth.

Getting Dental Sealants

Sealants are an option for anyone, but usually children and teenagers see more benefit from them than adults will. Teenagers have a higher risk of having problems because of the grooves around the premolars and molars. With children and teenagers, the sooner that the get the sealants placed, the better. While children are the more common candidates, that doesn’t mean adults can benefit from them as well.

Adults can use sealants to prevent areas from progressing into decay or keep further damage from problem areas in their mouth. They could be a great way to save areas that would end up being major problems in the future. Your dentist can tell you if you should consider sealants or not.

The application of the sealants is easy and painless. The whole process will only take a couple of minutes. Before they put the sealants on, they will give your teeth a throughout cleaning (because sealing the bacteria in doesn’t make much sense). After that, they will make sure the tooth and area around the sealant are completely dry. After the teeth are dry, the dentist will apply an acid solution (it’s not as bad as it sounds) to help the sealant material stick to your teeth. Then your teeth will be rinsed and dried again. After that, the sealants is put on your tooth and then dried using a curing light, so it hardens. Then you’re done. Easy as that, your teeth are now protected with sealants.

The sealants themselves are clear or only have a slight tint, which means that you or anybody else won’t notice that you have them. It also means that the dentist will be able to see if there are any problems under the sealants.

One of the best advantages to sealants is their long life span. After you have the sealants placed, there will last several years before you need to have the procedure again. If the sealants are placed on a child or teenager, the dentist may decide that they don’t need the sealants any longer if the teeth are fully formed.

Oral Health and Dental Sealants

As we mentioned earlier, if you have dental sealants placed on your teeth, it’s still important that you practice proper oral hygiene. Just because your teeth have an extra layer of protection doesn’t mean they can’t continue to build bacteria or have problems in other parts of your mouth.

Sealants are a great way to ensure a healthy mouth or a healthy mouth of your children, but it can’t replace traditional methods. If you want to keep a clean mouth, brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss before bed, and use mouthwash on a regular basis to kill any hidden bacteria in your mouth. Additionally, it’s important that you have regular dentist visits to address any problems and receive deep cleanings for areas that you don’t get with your toothbrush every day. If you are having any pain, discomfort, or even bad breath, it’s important that you tell your dentist immediately.

A Clean Mouth is a Happy Mouth

Dr. Goldsmith is committed to giving his patients a quality, painless, and convenient experience. Dental sealants are just one of the many services that we offer to ensure the oral health of you and your family. If you have any questions about dental sealants or any other questions regarding your teeth or mouth, we will be happy to answer those for you.

Taking care of your mouth is important for your teeth and your overall health. Poor hygiene can lead to massive dental bills, pain, and discomfort. Don’t wait until you’re already experiencing these to make an appointment. Contact us today using our contact form or give us a call at (317)357-4018 to schedule an appointment today.