Reprinted from the Health District's quarterly publication mailed to district residents (summer 2000)
TOPIC: Seal Your Child's Dental Health
 
by polly anderson
 
Childhood without cavities? Isn't that like childhood without scraped knees? 

While even the most vigilant parents probably can't prevent the scrapes and scratches of childhood, good oral hygiene, fluoride and the application of dental sealants can help your children reach adulthood without a single cavity.

Dental sealants are a plastic material painted onto the chewing surfaces of teeth, usually the back molars. These teeth typically have deep grooves that are difficult to keep clean. 

Sealants act as a barrier between these hard-to-clean grooves and the bacteria and acids that cause cavities. For strong teeth, prevention is key.

Teeth with no cavities are far stronger than teeth that have been filled. Anything you can do to help your children avoid or minimize cavities will help them create the strong, long-lasting teeth they’ll need for a lifetime of oral health.
When properly placed and maintained, sealants can be almost 100 percent effective in preventing cavities in the grooves of back teeth, says Dr. John Leonard.

"I recommend sealants for almost all of my patients," says Leonard. "We apply the sealants on permanent molars as soon as they show." These are the teeth most vulnerable to decay, although sealants can even be applied to all back teeth, even baby teeth.

The American Dental Association (ADA) considers dental sealants to be one of the best tools for creating a cavity-free generation. They are both cost effective and easy to apply.

Good oral hygiene
Get involved in your child’s dental care. Help children brush twice each day until they are able to do it well themselves. Show children how to floss and help them until they can master the technique. Set a good example by brushing and flossing in front of your child. Begin taking your child to the dentist regularly by age one.

Healthy diet
Provide your children with a healthy, well-
balanced diet. Limit soda consumption to a special treat—soda has a high acid and sugar content that can encourage tooth decay. Even baby teeth can decay; don’t let your child go to sleep with a milk or juice bottle or while breast feeding. 

Fluoride
Around age 2, children should begin using a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste when they brush—but make sure they spit it out rather than swallow. Make sure children are drinking fluoridated water.

Ask your dentist about sealants
According to the ADA, the average cost of a sealant is $24 per tooth, compared to $53 per tooth for a filling. Medicaid in Colorado and most dental insurance plans cover sealants for at least permanent molars, and some plans will cover sealant application on all back teeth. 

Sealants generally last three to five years, depending on diet and whether or not kids chew a lot of ice or hard candies. They can be patched or even reapplied to extend protection. 

Although adults with weak enamel may want to discuss sealants with their dentist, the benefits are greatest for children.

"Usually by the time we're adults, teeth have completely remineralized (hardened) with the help of saliva and fluoridated water," says Leonard.

Parents should be aware that sealants alone will not prevent all cavities. They are an important tool for preventing tooth decay—but not the only one. 

"Good oral hygiene, a healthy diet and drinking fluoridated water are still the keys to preventing decay and cavities," says Leonard. 

Parents should be very involved in their child's oral hygiene, assisting with teeth brushing until children have the dexterity to do it well themselves, typically around age seven or eight.

"Brush your child's teeth until he or she can write their name in cursive," recommends Leonard. "Parents should do the first brushing and then encourage the child to 'get the places that mommy or daddy missed.'" This will ensure that the back teeth are well cleaned.

"Sealants are widely accepted and very effective," Leonard says, "but they are not a substitute for good regular oral hygiene and care."