Dental Sealants
Peoria, AZ
 Cavities can be a very irritating part of most of our lives. The diseases that cause cavities and tooth decay are the most common noncontagious diseases in the world.
Very few adults escape the annoyance of tooth decay. In fact, only 10 percent of adults manage to go through life without any cavities at all. For Dr. Repta , the top priority in preventative dental care is keeping adult teeth cavity-free. If there was a way you could help keep your teeth free from needing fillings, you might think about doing it.
Here is some information from Pleasant Valley Dentistry about the use of sealants for dental care.
Why Is It Such a Good Idea to Avoid Cavities?
You might think that having a cavity is not that big of a deal. If you happen to get a cavity in a tooth, our dentist can fill it without any trouble at all, right? Your teeth are some of the toughest pieces of your body. The hardest substance in your body is tooth enamel.
When you get a cavity, it is because the acids from bacteria living in the mouth cause holes in your teeth. If the bacterial acid finds its way past the tooth enamel you have and makes it into the dentin layer underneath the enamel, you have a cavity.
All cavities create problems in teeth. If left untreated, cavities grow larger and eat their way into the tooth pulp. The tooth pulp is the soft middle of the tooth, and it is where your blood supply and nerves are located. If the cavity reaches the pulp, you have a tooth infection.
The cavity will continue to grow until your tooth dies and falls out. Cavities can still be harmful even if you get them filled at the edge of your enamel and dentin. Once you have a cavity, whether your dentist fills it or not, your tooth is never as strong as it was before you got a cavity. It is clear that the best thing for your teeth is never to get a cavity.
The Special Problem with Molars and Cavities
Of all of the teeth you have as an adult, the molars may be the most important teeth you have. Molars are the largest and the widest teeth in your mouth. You can have as many as six molars in both your upper and lower jaw, which is the largest number of a type of tooth you have.
Molars do not slice through your food, but they do carry the brunt of chewing, grinding, and crushing your cuisine. Molars also are the only teeth with two tooth roots rather than one.
Although molars are such a special type of tooth in your mouth, they also come with a special set of problems. Molars have deep pits in the center of the tooth, and there are grooves on the molar biting surfaces. The entire biting surface of the molars is uneven.
The biting surface of the molars is built to grip and grind the food, but the surface can trap food and bacteria. The molars are located in the back of your mouth, which makes it challenging for them to be flossed and cleaned properly. If you do happen to get a cavity on one of your molars, it may not be easy to detect quickly because of the molar size. You may have a large, difficult-to-fill cavity before you experience any pain.
How Are Molars and Sealants Related?
Dentists created sealants to protect molars from tooth decay. Fluoride treatments at the dental office, toothpaste with fluoride, and municipal water with fluoride treatment help keep teeth hard and repel bacteria that cause cavities.
While fluoride treatments work well on the smooth surfaces of your teeth, which is every biting surface of your teeth except molars, the biting surface of molars does not react to fluoride as well. So, if you need to protect your molar teeth from cavities, but the traditional treatments do not work, what should you do? The dental sealant procedure evolved from the need to strengthen molar teeth and protect them from cavities.
Are There People Who Benefit More From Sealants?
Many groups of people reap the benefits of dental sealants. First, if you have children, you may want to think about having their molars sealed as soon as they erupt from their gums. Dental sealants for kids are the most requested age group for this procedure.
The American Dental Association has noted that sealants should be applied to the molars of children as soon as possible after they erupt because the sealant attaches more effectively to the molar teeth. Children do not always clean and floss their teeth as effectively as adults do, so they are more prone to cavities. Also, children tend to consume more sugary drinks and snacks than adults do.
Sugar and carbohydrates make bacteria in your mouth multiply more quickly, and the more bacteria you have in your mouth, the more likely you are to have cavities. Most dentists recommend that children get sealants applied to their molars.
Also, you may want to consider getting sealant application as an adult for a couple of reasons. If you have genetically deep molar fissures or grooves, you are more likely to get cavities, so you would be a good candidate for sealants. You may also be a good fit for sealants if you are an adult who has never had a cavity because if you happen to get a cavity, it will most likely be in one of your molars. Molars develop more cavities than any other teeth.
If you have sealants applied to the molars, you need to keep in mind that you may need to have our dentist apply the sealants every few years. Studies done by the American Dental Association demonstrate that dental sealant effectiveness is about 80 percent for the first year and 50 percent effective for a few years afterward, so you may need a reapplication for dental sealant longevity. Maintaining dental sealants is easy - be sure to brush and floss regularly.
What Should My Next Steps Be?
Now that you know how dental sealants work and why they are so important, perhaps you want to know more about their effectiveness and dental sealant safety. There is no doubt you should at least get more information about the use of sealants. Give Pleasant Valley Dentistry a call at 623-561-1470. We would be happy to schedule appointments or consultations for you and your family members. |
