Should I Get Sealants for My Child’s Teeth?

Undoubtedly, you want the best for your children, but you may have questions when it comes to their medical care. When it comes to dental sealants, you may know very little about them and have concerns as to whether they are necessary at all. As both a parent and dentist, Dr. Chris McDonald recommends that most children receive sealants to protect their molars. He offers this protective treatment to his young patients at his dental practice near Des Moines.

What Are Dental Sealants?

Sealants are thin coatings of medical-grade resin applied to teeth with jagged edges — especially the molars, or back teeth — to prevent food particles and bacteria from accumulating on non-smooth surfaces of these teeth. By covering up the crevices, it becomes much more difficult for plaque to gather and an infection to start in the tooth. Sealants can remain on the teeth for several years, though they are most effective in the first few years after they are applied.

Why Sealants Benefit Kids

The reason why sealants are such a good idea for children is that kids are especially prone to cavities. While this discrepancy is partially due to the average kid’s diet and a lack of motor skills while brushing, it is in large part the result of biological differences in children. New teeth develop with thinner layers of enamel (the hard, outer part of the tooth), making them especially vulnerable to cavities. Hence, Dr. McDonald and his peers recommend adding sealants soon after the permanent molars come in — which starts for many kids at age six.

Research demonstrates that sealants are genuinely beneficial. The CDC reports that, on average, kids without sealants developed three times as many cavities as those who had this layer of protection on their teeth.

Most Insurance Plans Cover Sealants

Fortunately, you do not need to worry about sealants breaking the bank — most dental policies for kids consider sealants to be important preventive care, which means it is covered. The team at McDonald Family Dentistry is happy to help you confirm whether your child is entitled to this benefit under their existing policy.

Make an Appointment

Kids’ teeth are not at their full strength when they first come in. Dental sealants are an easy and painless way to give these back teeth extra protection when they first come in. (Adults who are especially susceptible to cavities may be good candidates for sealants too.) To make an appointment with the friendliest pediatric dentist in Urbandale, Iowa, please call (515) 334-3838.