To keep your smile healthy one of the most important things that you can do is brush your teeth for at least two minutes twice a day. But there are some places where your toothbrush may have some difficulty reaching. Your back teeth, known as your molars and premolars come equipped with ridges called cusps. Those cusps help your molars do the tough job of chewing your food to make it easier for you to swallow and digest. But those ridges also give food debris, bacteria and plaque extra places to hide and promote tooth decay.
To protect those teeth, your dentist can apply dental sealants. Dental sealants are a thin layer of plastic applied to your molars that become an extra layer of protection between your tooth enamel and cavity-causing substances. To apply a dental sealant, the dentist will first clean and dry your tooth, before applying a mild acidic solution, which will create small abrasions on your tooth. Those abrasions will help the seal to adhere. After the solution has dried, the dentist will apply the sealant, allow it cure on its own or use a special light to do so. Once in place, a dental sealant can last ten years. Dental sealants work best when they are applied as soon as possible after the molars erupt, and so they are usually used for children ages 6 to 16. However, adults who have healthy back teeth, or are at a high risk for cavities may also be good candidates for sealants.
If you would like to find out more about dental sealants for a member of your family, or even for yourself, or dentist, Dr. Rahul Malik will be happy to see you! To make an appointment at Unique Dental Care in San Leandro, California, call 510-380-8343 today and we’ll get you started on a lifetime of great smiles!
