FLUORIDE and PIT & FISSURE SEALANT – Dentist’s tools for prevention of cavities in children!

Parents play important role in preventing cavities in children by observing healthy dietary habits as well as maintaining proper oral hygiene for their children.

(Refer previous posts For information on diet and oral hygiene maintenance at home).

In addition to this home care, the pediatric dentist can perform certain procedures in the dental clinic that are further very effective in prevention of cavities. These are:

1. Fluoride application

2. Pit & fissure sealant

Fluoride Application

How does it prevent cavities?

Fluoride is absorbed on the tooth surface and makes the tooth enamel stronger and more resistant to decay.

How is it done?

The procedure of fluoride application is very simple. Fluoride is available in a paste form (called as the “fluoride varnish”).

Step 1: The dentist makes tooth surfaces dry with cotton and air flow.

Step 2:  Fluoride paste is applied to all the teeth with a small brush.

Application of fluoride paste to all teeth is a job of 5 – 10 minutes.

The dual protection of Fluoride

Fluoride application treatment should be repeated every 6 months. It provides a long term benefit as the paste contains high concentration of fluoride. This is in addition to the protection provided through daily use of fluoridated toothpaste which contains low concentration of fluoride.

Pit & Fissure Sealant

How does it prevent cavities?

In many children, the chewing surfaces of the newly erupted milk teeth as well as permanent teeth are quite rough or irregular. These irregularities are called as "grooves", “pits” and “fissures”. 

The pits and fissures tend to entrap food particles and bacteria which are difficult to clean even with the finest toothbrush bristles.

 

The action of entrapped bacteria on food particles in these pits and fissures can thus start the decay which can progress to a large cavity.

As the name suggests, the pit & fissure sealant is a paste-like material that seals these irregularities to make the chewing surfaces of molars smooth, thus preventing the food entrapment and hence the cavity formation.

How is it done?     

Pit & fissure sealant application is also a very simple procedure. The material used is a paste that hardens once placed as sealant.

Step 1: The tooth surface is cleaned and dried with cotton and air flow.

Step 2: Sealant paste is filled in pits and fissures.  

This procedure takes 10-15 minutes for each tooth.  

The dual protection of Pit & Fissure Sealant

The sealant material not only blocks the pits and fissures to make the rough tooth surface smooth, but it also contains fluoride that gives added protection against cavity formation.

Added advantage of Fluoride application and Pit & Fissure sealants

In addition to protection from cavities, fluoride application and pit & fissure sealant treatment also help to make the anxious child comfortable in the dental environment owing to the simplicity of procedures. Because these procedures are quick and easy to perform, they help giving a pleasant dental experience to the child in the initial appointments which are crucial in building the child’s positive attitude about dentistry.    

So, get the fluoride application and the pit & fissure sealant treatment done for your child to keep their teeth in healthy and cavity-free condition!