Dental Sealants: Prevent Cavities
1. How do cavities form?
Permanently, a thin invisible film of salivary origin is deposited on the teeth. This biofilm, very quickly colonized by bacteria naturally present in the mouth, is the dental plaque. In the absence of regular brushing, bacteria proliferate, creating successive, organized layers, more and more resistant. In addition, plaque bacteria transform the sugars contained in food residues into acids, acids which then attack the tooth enamel and decalcify it. Repeated acid attacks destroy the enamel and form a cavity in the tooth.
The 3 main areas of caries prevention are:
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Good brushing and eating habits (lifelong - advice for children 0-6 years , children 6 years and over )
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Regular and meticulous brushing with fluoride products adapted to his age allowing good oral hygiene (tip: brush your teeth in front of him)
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Avoid sugary snacks between meals, limit your intake of sugars
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Preventive sealing of grooves (at 6 and 12 years old)
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Fluoridation, throughout the eruption of teeth (from 6 to 13 years old)
2. What is a preventive fissure sealant?
Children's back teeth (permanent premolars and molars) often have deep grooves that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush.
In order to prevent bacteria and food from entering the teeth and thus significantly reduce the occurrence of caries, the crevices on the surface of the teeth are sealed with a fluid, fluoride-containing resin. This preventive filling is usually performed on children between the ages of 6 and 14, but can also be performed on adults.
3. How are the grooves sealed? Placing a sealant
The filling of grooved and pitted areas is a quick and painless process.
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cleaning and drying of the tooth
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apply an acid gel to your teeth to increase the roughness of the tooth surface and improve adhesion
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after a few seconds, the gel is rinsed off and dried again
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application of the sealant to the grooves of your tooth
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use a special blue light to light cure (harden) the resin.
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