14 Sep Caring For Your Dental Sealants Helps Them Last
Sealants are like little raincoats for your teeth. They’re made from resin and applied on your back teeth. They help protect your molars from plaque buildup and the bacteria that eats away your enamel. There are many benefits to underutilized dental sealants, like preventing cavities or helping with high sensitivity in teeth. The application process is quick, non-invasive, and cost-effective. Suitable for both children and adults, sealants make teeth easier to clean and help maintain a healthier smile. Caring for them can help keep your mouth healthy for years to come.
What to do Immediately After Getting Dental Sealants
Luckily, the answer here is: nothing! Dental sealants do not require any special aftercare like other oral health procedures, like tooth extractions, where you may have open wounds.
Once the sealants are set and you are out of the dentist’s chair, you can eat and drink normally. This is not to say sealants do not need any care. However, the care they require is more about maintaining your oral health overall, than a focused task for the sealants alone.
5 Tips for the Long-Term Care of Your Dental Sealants
Dental sealants can help protect your teeth for nearly a decade without replacement if you are taking care of your oral health. This is part of what makes them perfect for children! These long-term care tips will help you keep your whole mouth healthy, including your sealants.
1: Be careful with sticky foods.
Avoid sticky foods like chewing gum, taffy, caramels, and others that are tacky like gummies. They can cause the sealants to become loose.
2: Create a strong oral health routine.
An oral health routine is one way to help your sealants last. Not only does it help your overall oral hygiene, it helps your sealants do their job of fighting plaque and pesky bacteria. Here are three things that can help you keep your mouth clean:
- Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss between each tooth once a day.
- Use a mouth rinse once a day.
3: Rinse your mouth with water after eating.
Rinsing out your mouth after eating can help loosen and remove food debris and bacteria from your meal. This reduces the amount of plaque that forms, and helps ensure nothing gets lodged between the sealants. Just don’t brush! It can damage the enamel on your unsealed teeth.
Wait at least 30 minutes after eating before you brush.
4: Periodically check your sealants.
Running your tongue around the sealant and checking for any that might be loose is a good way to catch a sealant before it falls off your tooth. Your dentist will also check them during your twice-yearly checkups.
5: Visit your dentist twice a year.
Not only do dentists check that your sealants are secure twice a year, they provide a thorough cleaning and exam. This can help you catch oral health problems, ensure your sealants are properly secured, and help you have the best smile possible.
Dental Sealants Available in Prescott Arizona
Looking for dental sealants? Do you need a new oral health provider? Our team here at Hicks Dental Group is here to help you and your family. We provide experienced, kind, and compassionate care. Our goal is to give you the very best dental care available. Contact us today for an appointment.
Images used under creative commons license commercial use (9/10/24). Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash.