The Toothache That Changed My Life

Children can be hard on their teeth without realizing it. A love of candy, a few sodas a week, and regular juice boxes can all cause teeth to gain cavities. This tends to continue into the teenage years, then some people tend to spend their adulthood making up for expensive dental mistakes. If you want to help your child protect their teeth, dental sealants may be the way to go. Here are the stages of sealants that your child may need to go through in order to protect their permanent molars.

Around age five: first set of sealants

When your child is around five years old, but before seven years old, their first permanent molars begin to make their appearance. Once these molars come in, it is a good idea to go to your family dentistry clinic to ask for sealants on these teeth. Dental sealants are a plastic-like coating that the dentist will put around the top of the tooth. This will help to keep out anything that may cause the teeth to decay or cavities to form. Putting sealants on the first set of molars will help to stop cavities and issues in these teeth that can lead to more expensive dental work down the line.

Pre-teens and teens: second molars

The first set of molars grow at an average age of six years old. The second set of molars will grow when a child is between 11 and 14. Once these molars grow in, another set of sealants should be added. If you had the childhood molars covered in the years before, ask your family dentist to check those sealants to make sure that are still able to properly protect the teeth. If they are wearing off, have sealants added to both of the sets of molars.

Right before college: Sealants redone

Most sealants will last around 10 years on the teeth. Prior to your child taking off for college, get the sealants redone so that they have an added 10 years of protection. Many college students who leave home tend to slack off on their medical checkups and dental needs without the watchful eye of parents. In a few years, they may also be partaking in acidic drinks, like beers and wines, along with sweet foods. The sealants can help protect the teeth until your child is out of school and is ready to resume proper dental care on their own.

For professional dental care, contact an office such as Comfort Dental.