Getting kids to brush their teeth is an ongoing challenge in many households. But even the best of brushers can get cavities. Blame it on genetics, the water, or that last piece of sticky candy – cavities are sometimes unavoidable.
Your dentist, however, has a solution that can significantly reduce the incidence of cavities. Dental sealants, a clear, thin protective coating, have been shown to reduce the risk of decay by nearly 80% in molars. That’s a fact of importance to parents since, according to a report issued by the Center for Disease Control, "school-age children without sealants have almost three times more cavities than children with sealants." (October 2016)
Applying sealants is an easy and painless process. Your dentist first applies a gel to your tooth, followed by the application of the sealant onto the grooves of your tooth. Then the dentist will use a special blue light to “cure” the sealant, which dries to a clear invisible coating in just a few minutes. Once dry, sealants are undetectable, and you can eat, chew and brush without any problems. Sealants will continue to protect your tooth from decay for years.
Last year, Medi-Cal Dental included sealants as a covered benefit for children and many insurances cover sealants as a benefit as well, so there’s no reason not to ask your dentist about this important treatment option for your child. Caries (cavities) is the number one disease among children, and treatments like sealants can prevent trips to the dentist for fillings or more serious issues resulting from decay. Sealants can stop the initial stage of decay from progressing into a full-blown cavity.
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