Dental sealants are thin, plastic coatings painted on the surfaces of children's permanent molars as soon as the teeth come in, before the decay attacks the teeth. They are put on the children's teeth in dental offices, clinics and sometimes in schools. It's very simple and painless. Dental sealants are done to avoid tooth decay by covering the chewing surfaces of the teeth before food and germs can get stuck in the pits and grooves of teeth where toothbrush bristles can't clean.Although tooth decay, according to the American Dental Association, has declined among young children as a group, it can still be a problem for individual children, and even teens and adults. One of their recommendations is to put sealants on the back teeth. If your child's baby teeth have deep pits and grooves, your dentist may advise putting sealants on baby teeth also.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, although dental caries (tooth decay) is largely preventable, it remains the most common chronic disease of children aged 5 to 17 years—5 times more common than asthma (59% versus 11%). Sealants have been around since the 1960's and studies by the National Institute of Dental and craniofacial Research led to the development of dental sealants and showed that they are a safe and effective way to prevent dental caries in children.
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