Q Are pit and fissure sealants an effective way to protect my children’s teeth?

A Something I always tell my patients, whatever their age, is ‘prevention is always better than looking for a cure’. In this case it couldn’t be more appropriate for children who are just starting to get their permanent teeth coming through.

Pit and fissure sealants are a great preventative solution that give your children’s teeth a head-start by protecting them from decaying and any subsequent implications that tooth decay can lead to. This includes damage to their teeth enamel and the layer of dentin underneath it.

Although pits and fissures transpire naturally, they deepen over time, which means that if your child is showing any indication of pits and fissures, they’re usually in need of a sealant.

Sealants are usually applied to the back teeth – the molars and premolars – because these are the teeth that have pits on their biting surfaces. Fissures are grooves that develop on the outside of the tooth’s surface. In both cases, if these areas fill with bacteria, then it can be difficult to remove the bacteria by only following a regular dental hygiene routine of brushing twice a day and flossing or using mouthwash in between.

The way dental sealants work is that they coat and seal the grooves and hollows of the teeth so that they prevent some of the most potent and harmful bacteria from building up on the teeth. This gives them the chance to be in a much healthier state.

It goes without saying though, that having a good oral health regime is still important.

* For more information about dental issues, contact Synergy Dental Clinics Bolton or Bury, email bury@synergydental.org.uk or go to synergydental.org.uk/dentist-in-bury