Smiling boy

As children learn to take care of their smile, they can have difficulty accessing the teeth in the back of their mouth when brushing. To prevent cavities from forming as they develop the dexterity necessary to reach each tooth, we could offer a treatment to protect this part of their smile. Placing dental sealants can provide a physical barrier between plaque and a child’s molars.

At your Shirley, NY orthodontist and pediatric dentist, we take every step available to safeguard your child’s smile against the risk of tooth decay. This includes providing additional services to protect their teeth from plaque as they learn to brush and floss their entire smile. By learning about the benefits of dental sealants, you can learn how we can reduce your child’s risk of developing a cavity!

Decay Can Harm Little Smiles

When kids enjoy sweet snacks and drinks, they can quickly build up plaque as oral bacteria love to feed on sugar and starch. Without appropriate oral hygiene, this plaque can erode their enamel and create holes, or cavities, in the surface. As a tooth loses natural material, its entire bite can come out of alignment, and the exposure of the inner tooth leaves them open to dangerous infections as well. Instead of waiting for a symptom like a toothache to alert you to your child’s cavity, we would like to prevent this damage from happening in the first place. This is why we provide services beyond those offered to adults to help kids prevent cavities until they master brushing and flossing to remove oral plaque. Placing a dental sealant on the back of their molars can help prevent cavities and keep their bite in line!

Placing Sealants On A Child’s Teeth

The teeth in the back of their mouths can be difficult for your child to regularly contact when brushing and flossing. If they skip this portion of their smile when brushing and flossing, we tend to see a higher incidence of cavities on their back teeth. Because food is not removed from in between their molars, plaques form that feed off the remnants from their meals. To create a barrier between their enamel and outside threats, we can apply a material to the surface during a regular dental checkup. These sealants will gradually wear away over time and require no further appointment to remove them.

Speak With Your Shirley, NY, Orthodontist and Pediatric Dentist About Dental Sealants For Your Child

By bringing your child to regular dental appointments, we can determine if they require additional protection to safeguard their little mouths. To learn more about preventing tooth decay with this preventive treatment option, please contact Shirley Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in Shirley, NY, by calling (631) 399-1600.