Cavity Prevention and Reversing - Ottawa, ON

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Ever take a really close look at your teeth in the mirror? If the answer is yes, then you know that teeth have tiny depressions and irregularities in them. They’re not anything to worry about because it’s how teeth are supposed to be, and they’re present in everyone. These grooves are particularly evident in premolars and molars, which is where we worry about them the most. Grooves and depressions can act as hiding places for bacteria and food. By escaping your toothbrush, they can then harm your teeth. Unfortunately for the bacteria, we’re aware of these tricks at SmilEra Dental Studio, Ottawa, ON and know how to handle the situation.

Dental sealants are substances that we, as dentists, can use to occlude the grooves and irregularities in your teeth. Sealants are beneficial because, by occluding these grooves, we leave bacteria stranded without hiding spaces.

People are most prone to dental caries and cavities between the ages of 6 to 14. This is due to several reasons like less awareness of oral hygiene and what they prefer to eat. Sealants are most highly recommended during this age group to protect them from any potential damage. When a child starts to grow their premolars and molars, we like to start applying sealants.

Sometimes we apply sealants to baby teeth if we’re seriously worried about damage to them. Yes, baby teeth are temporary, but they’re important for spacing.

Adults don’t usually require sealants because they’re past the riskiest age (6 to 14). Nonetheless, if you’re prone to oral infections or just worried about getting cavities, dental sealants can be safely applied in adults.

We need to make it clear here at SmilEra Dental Studio, that dental sealants don’t treat anything. They’re tools available at our disposal for prevention of dental caries, but they can’t get rid of them if they’re already there.

No, there’s nothing painful about sealants, and there’s no drilling involved either. We clean the teeth, dry them, and then apply the sealant. The sealant then needs to be exposed to a certain kind of light to make it adhere to your teeth.