Dental Sealants

What can you do to prevent cavities? Well, you can brush, that's good. You can Floss. You can use Fluoridated toothpaste. What else? Dental sealants have been proven to prevent decay in the pits and fissures of teeth. Sealants are usually placed on the first and second permanent molars. You can also seal the bicuspids. You also can seal baby molars, but it is not usually done as the anatomy is different and it can be unnecessarily difficult to work on a very young child just for a sealant. Most kids need sealants, but if the grooves of the teeth are smooth and the child is not cavity prone, I may not recommend it. Oh, adults can benefit from sealants as well, but they are most useful on teeth that are newly erupted, you know, the cavity prone years.

The idea is to seal up the little grooves, which the brush can't reach. Here is a brush bristle that can't reach down into that really small groove on a molar. Fluoride helps prevent decay as well by strengthening the enamel. Fluoride seems to work best, however, on the smooth surfaces of the teeth. Sealants are for the grooves, so you usually don't use them on front teeth for instance.

They are really easy to do. You just sort of paint it on (well, there are several steps, but still fairly easy like using a fiberoptic "flash light") The only thing that can make it harder is if the child has a small mouth or a gag reflex or a wiggly tongue that makes it hard to get back there and keep things dry.


If sealed well, the "cavity bugs" can't get down in there. Sealants last several years and may need to be patched or replaced from time to time. If the kid doesn't chew ice or stuff like that, they will hold up fairly well. If they chip or come off, the "Bugs" can get back in there. My kids have sealants and have never had a cavity!