Sealants Prevent Cavities in Kids

Most of my writing focuses on what we can do as parents to improve and safeguard the oral health of our kids and whole family.  However, there are a few things that your dentist can do to prevent cavities.  Sealants are one of them!  The following is information from a recent study done by Delta Dental, one of the largest dental insurers in the country.  They are very interested in whether the money they spend for their client's oral health is effective!

Cavities are almost entirely preventable, and a recent study shows that sealants — especially when combined with professional fluoride treatments — are among the best tools to help children fight tooth decay early in their lives. However, the study also cites sealants recently ranking ninth in children’s dental procedures, suggesting a lack of community awareness about sealant effectiveness.

The study, conducted by the Dental Data and Analysis Center, tracked dental benefits claims of nearly a half-million enrollees within the Delta Dental system. The claims covered children and adolescents, 6 to 15 years old, from 1998 to 2003.

According to the study, children with sealants were 78 percent less likely to need fillings than children without sealants. Of those with sealants, 93 percent were less likely to develop cavities when they combined sealants with more than five professional fluoride treatments during the five-year period. Professional treatments refer to a dentist applying temporary topical fluorides, such as gels or varnishes, usually as part of teeth cleaning.

If your dentist hasn't recommended sealants for your children yet, ask her/him.  First permanent molars (age 6-7) and second permanent molars (age 11-13) are typically the teeth that benefit the most from sealants.

Lets help our kids develop cavity free Winning Smiles!