Are you doing all you can to protect your child's teeth from decay? Flossing, brushing, a nutritious diet, routine cleanings and exams with your Allentown, PA, dentist--they support great oral health. Are they enough though? At Sanford Center for Total Health Dentistry, Dr. Robert Sanford and his staff apply plastic sealants to children's back molars. Sealants coat pits and grooves and guard teeth for years.
What is tooth decay?
Tooth decay--also called dental caries or cavities--creates a hole in the hard outer layer of tooth structure. Left untreated, it progresses, 
affecting inner dentin, pulp and even roots and bone. Caused by Strep bacteria, living in organic residues called plaque and tartar, which accumulate on and between teeth, cavities are the leading chronic health problem among children, reports the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The best protection
To protect your children's teeth, your Allentown, PA, dentist advises a number of at-home preventive measures and six-month examinations and cleanings at Sanford Center for Total Health Dentistry. Fluoride, applied as an in-office treatment and through fluoride toothpaste and fluoridated water, hardens tooth enamel and defends against cavities. Unfortunately, however, fluoride works best on smooth tooth surfaces, not on the tiny pits and fissures on the chewing surfaces of molars. These back teeth are common sites of tooth decay in children and young adults.
An added layer
Frequently, Dr. Sanford recommends placement of plastic sealants on six-year and twelve-year molars or on other teeth which are intricately fissured and pitted. Frankly, even the best of brushes and flosses cannot remove plaque and tartar from these tiny crevices. So, decay happens readily.
What's the solution? Plastic sealants coat, seal and protect the chewing surfaces of selected teeth. Easily applied in the office in about 10 minutes per tooth, sealants are tooth-colored and practically impervious to the acids oral bacteria secrete. Once applied, they can last for up to a year.
To apply a sealant, Dr. Sanford cleans and dries the tooth. He applies an etching liquid to the chewing surface and then carefully puts on the sealant with a small brush. He hardens the material with a special light, checks the bite and that's it. This preventive treatment is done. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says sealants prevent the vast majority of decay on children's back teeth.
Find out more
Why not ask about plastic sealants at your child's next check-up at the Sanford Center for Total Health Dentistry in Allentown, PA? Dr. Sanford will be happy to give you all the details on this quick and economical preventive service. If it's time to arrange a routine appointment, please call the office at (610) 820-6000. Also serving the Salisbury, Wescosville, & Westwood Heights areas.