Dental sealants are commonly used for providing safety
against tooth decay and cavities. Children and young adults are believed to be
the common recipients of dental sealants. But you may wonder how good the
dental sealants can be for adults. Is there any benefit that older adults can
get from dental sealants? It is a worse discussing topic.
What is dental
sealant?
Dental sealant is mainly a barrier which tends to keep the
harmful bacteria from damaging tooth enamel in the pits and fissures on the
chewing surface of the teeth. It is mainly a plastic material which is painted
on the surface and it hardens pretty quickly.
When you brush your teeth, it could be pretty difficult for
you to make the toothbrush’s bristles to reach and clean the pits and fissures
of the teeth. And the areas which remain unreachable are more prone against
plaque, cavities and other dental health conditions. If you cover these areas
with dental sealant, you can effectively prevent the said dental conditions.
Application of
sealant
Application of sealant is a painless and simple process.
- First, tooth area is cleaned well.
- After cleaning, an acidic gel is applied to the area in order to roughen up the surface. This roughened surface is quite capable to get hold of the sealant.
- Before the application of sealant, this gel is rinsed and washed. The tooth is dried in this process.
- After the tooth is dried well, sealant is applied on the surface. Special blue light is then used to harden the sealant material.
Reason dental
sealants are helpful
Although dental sealants are generally used for providing
dental safety to children, these sealants are also helpful for adult’s teeth.
The risk for tooth decay is there for everyone regardless of age. Therefore, the
application of sealants can be pretty much helpful in decreasing the risk of
decay and cavities. With the help of sealants, you can prevent foods particles,
plaque and bacteria from settling into the grooves and depressions on the
chewing surface of teeth. In other words, application of sealant can be a great
way of preventive maintenance. Good news is that this dental procedure is not
costly. However, it can help in preventing the costly dental procedures in the
future. However, you have to keep in mind that dental sealants are not
permanent like other dental procedures. These are made to provide short-term
benefits.
For further help, you can visit your dentist and if you are
a right candidate for dental sealants.
