Flossing and brushing are the good ways to keep your teeth clean and help prevent cavities and decay, but it’s not always easy to clean every part of your teeth. Cleans becomes difficult, especially for back teeth that one uses to chew the molars. Molars are rough and uneven. They are also the best place for leftover food, and the bacteria that cause cavities hide there. Luckily, dental sealants in Bayside NY help cover your teeth and protect them from bacteria that cause cavities.
Dental sealants are thin materials protective coating made from plastic material that adheres to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. They’re no substitute for flossing and brushing, but dental sealants keep cavities from forming and help stop early stages of decay from becoming full-blown cavities.
Understanding Cavities: What They Are and How They Develop
A cavity is a permanent hole in the tooth. Left untreated, a cavity gets bigger. Cavities cause pain and develop infections. When one eats, the uneven teeth surfaces and grooves grind the food into pieces that are easy to digest and swallow. Small bits of food hide on the molars’ surfaces and get wedged between the teeth. Bacteria found in the mouth feed off small food particles and create strong enough acids to eat away your tooth enamel.
When your enamel erodes, it creates a cavity known as dental caries. The enamel protects the tissues inside your teeth, so losing it is a big deal. Dentin sits beneath the enamel and provides strength and structure to the teeth. Also, dentin contains microscopic tubes that get deeper inside the tooth’s nerve. When the nerve is stimulated, it transmits messages of sensitivity and pain to cold and heat.
Cavities cause temperature sensitivity and pain by reducing the protective layer of enamel that serves as a shield between the nerve and outside world.
Unfortunately, the enamel never grows back once it has developed a cavity. Cavities allow bacteria to enter the cracks, weakened areas, and holes in the enamel. Bacteria can accumulate near the gum line and cause gum disease and cavities. It also gets its way down to the tooth’s root tip, which holds the tooth to the jaw.
A bacterial infection causes an abscess or an infection to the gums or in the root of a tooth. When left untreated, the bacteria in a tooth abscess travels through the bloodstream to the other parts of your body. The bacteria can also lead to losing your tooth. Thus preventing cavities is essential, and dental sealants offer a great way to prevent cavities.
How Dental Sealants Are Applied: The Step-by-Step Process
The dentist near you applies the dental sealant painlessly and straightforwardly. It takes a few minutes to apply the sealant and seal each tooth. The application process follows these steps:
- First, the dentist cleans the teeth to be sealed
- They then dry each tooth, and an absorbent material like cotton is put around to keep the tooth dry
- Your dentist then puts an acid solution on the chewing surfaces of the teeth to roughen them up. This helps the dental sealant bond well to the teeth
- The teeth are rinsed and dried
- Dental sealant is painted onto the teeth’s enamel, where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens. Your dentist uses an ultraviolet or special curing light to set the sealant quickly
Who Are the Ideal Candidates for Dental Sealants?
Anyone can use dental sealants for preventive purposes. For example, they are recommended to children who start to develop their teeth to avoid tooth decay early. Also, they are advised to teenagers who are prone to cavities to protect their permanent teeth.
Adults and older people can also get sealants. Unfortunately, this group of people neglects their tooth decay because they think that treatment is for young people. But everyone is supposed to treat their decaying teeth because it affects their overall well-being. Sealant treatment is an effective way to prevent teeth from decaying.
How Dental Sealants Function: Protecting Your Teeth from Decay
Dental sealants work by protecting the chewing surfaces from cavities. They cover the surfaces with a protective shield that blocks food and germs.
Longevity of Dental Sealants: How Long Can You Expect Them to Last?
Dental sealants from Bayside Family Dentistry are long-lasting. When taken good care of, they last up to 10 years. Also, you should go for regular check-ups with a dentist near you to ensure the sealants are still intact. Also, dental sealants are easy to replace.
