PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY

n todays scenario childrens teeth are at a huge caries risk due to the large amount of processed foods and chocolates that they eat. Even regular brushing may not prove to be enough to prevent deacay. For this reason fluoride treatment is advised for children to protect their permanent and deciduous(milk) teeth from decay.

In this procedure special trays are made for the patients and fluoride gel is placed inside the tray and the tray is seated against the patients teeth. The procedure requires only five to ten minutes and has high effectiveness in preventing tooth decay. Ideally it should be performed twice a year at ages 3,7,11,13.

Sealants

In children milk teeth erupt at the age of 6mths to 2.5 yrs and are replaced by the permanent over a period of 6yrs from age 6yrs to 12 yrs.

When the milk teeth are present the children do not have the dexterity to clean them well and when the permanent teeth arrive we expect them to last us the rest of our life.

The molars, both milk and permanent are highly susceptible to decay as they have deep grooves and pits which harbor food and being placed back in the mouth are hard to clean.

Pit and fissure sealants have been developed to overcome this problem. They are used to fill and seal the vulnerable areas of the teeth and prevent their decay and subsequent loss.

They are advised for children at 3yrs for the deciduous and at 6yrs and at 13yrs for the permanent molars.

Sealants are highly recommended to prevent cavities from forming in the deep grooves of molars and premolars. On the right you can see pitting of the enamel in the grooves — beginnings of a cavity if left untreated. 80% of all cavities occur in children’s molars simply because a brush can’t get into the grooves!

Usually this procedure is usually done in conjunction with a cleaning because the tooth should be as clean as possible before the acrylic sealant is painted on and light cured (bonded) to the tooth’s surface. Compare the rough surface of the untreated teeth to the smooth surface of the sealed teeth.

It’s still important to practice good dental hygiene at home — sealants make brushing your teeth easier and more effective. Teeth have five surfaces: top, cheek, tongue, front and back. Sealants only protect the top, cheek, and tongue surfaces. In between the teeth you must floss to stop cavities from forming.

Sealants are quite strong and don’t interfer with chewing. With the surface of the tooth “sealed” against bacteria, the enamel of the tooth can continue to harden, reducing the risk of cavities as an adult. It’s never too late to have teeth sealed provided they are free of decay and fillings. Under normal conditions sealants can last as long as 5 years.