Dental Sealants Can Cut Kids’ Cavity Risk 80 Percent
(NAPSI)—Parents can help their children practically eliminate their chance of getting cavities, often at no cost—yet they don’t. Here’s a closer look at this conundrum:
Be Smart About Sealants
Beyond daily brushing and flossing, dental sealants have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of cavities in kids—yet the clear protective coatings, which work by filling the deep grooves where bacteria can accumulate—remain largely underused.
The thin, slippery coating applied to the chewing surfaces of back teeth (molars) makes it difficult for plaque to adhere, which prevents decay from sticking to the pits and grooves of molars. By blocking germs and food, sealants provide protection against tooth decay by nearly 80 percent in molars for two years and they continue to protect against 50 percent of cavities for up to four years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Children without dental sealants are three times more likely to develop cavities,” says Nadia Fugate, DMD, who serves as a Delta Dental of Washington dental consultant. “Sealants are one of the most effective ways to reduce cavities among children 5 to 15 years old.”
Dr. Fugate adds that dental sealants are safe, require no drilling, and are less expensive and easier to apply than fillings. Sealants last five to 10 years and are applied in a simple three-step process performed by the dentist or a dental hygienist:
•Teeth are cleaned with a special toothpaste
•A cleansing liquid is applied gently with a small piece of cotton and rinsed off
•The sealant is “painted” onto the tooth, requiring about a minute to form a protective shield
Sealants and Insurance
Dental sealants are completely covered by most employer-sponsored dental plans, with little or no out-of-pocket expense to parents; for those with individual and family plans, insurers such as Delta Dental offer a free online estimator which calculates any out-of-pocket cost based on the child’s specific benefits and the dentist. In addition, many schools offer a school sealant program—ask your school nurse if your child’s school participates.
Learn More
For further information about dental sealants, visit Delta Dental of Washington’s blog at www.DeltaDentalWA.com/blog.
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
Recent thebridgenewspaper News Articles
Discuss This Article
MOST POPULAR THEBRIDGENEWSPAPER
Top 5 Essential College Apps By Tina Gomez, Senior Reporter
Donuts a Call Away By Tina Gomez, Senior Report
FEAR is Coming By Judith Mae Aguilar, Senior Reporter
New Options for Laredo Foodies By Judith Mae Aguilar, Senior Reporter
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST THEBRIDGENEWSPAPER
RECENT THEBRIDGENEWSPAPER CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- A Story To Sing About
- The Gap in Gum Care: Why Caring For Your Teeth’s F...
- Top Tips for Signature Scents and Better-Smelling Laundry
- A Dog Trainer’s Top Tips to Support Pets Through Life S...
- Clear the Air of Indoor Pollutants This Spring
- Stroke & Dementia in Black Men: Tips for Staying Healthy...
- Hispanics and African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye...
- African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye Disease
- Infinity Kings: Final Book In A Favorite Fantasy Series
- What You Need To Know About Keratoconus and the iLink...
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- Don’t Let Diabetes Shortchange Your Golden Years
- No Child is Forgotten By Marine Toys for Tots
- Sweeten Your Springtime Salads With Healthy Chilean Grapes
- Young Author Translates 4,000-Year-Old Text to Reveal...
- Keeping Cool and Energy-efficient Amid America’s “...
- Addressing Sarcopenia with a Healthy Diet
- Subway’s New Wraps Elevate Eating on the Go
- Family Teacher Conference Topics Beyond Academics
- Youth Take Down Tobacco
- BookTrib’s Bites: Four Reads to Kickoff Spring