What Are Dental Sealants?
A perfect coating for your teeth.
Dental sealants are a safe and painless dental treatment that adds a protective coating to your molar surfaces. Using materials designed to stick to the chewing surfaces of your molars, sealants prevent bacteria from building up in the tiny nooks and crannies that are typically difficult to keep clean when brushing. If your teeth are worn down and in need of dental sealants, your Lakewood, Colorado dentist will recommend them to you.
We want to help you and the ones you love smile confidently, breathe clearer, and live a healthier life.
Whether you’re coming in for dental sealants or another dental procedure, from infancy to advanced age, we’re looking out for you.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Sealants in Lakewood, Colorado?
Here’s some major reasons your teeth will thank you for getting dental sealants.
There are many benefits to getting dental sealants at your Lakewood dentist clinic, including:
They Act as a Protective Shield
Dental sealants are on the job 24/7 so that any time you eat, or any time tiny particles of food manage to get wedged in the pits of your teeth, the bacteria can’t break through that protective seal.
They Help You Avoid Pain
Bacteria can cause a lot of damage to your teeth, including painful tooth decay. When left to penetrate the tooth enamel, the deeper the cavity and decay, the more chance there is for pain.
They Help You Avoid Extensive Restorations
Along with pain, the progression of decay leads to the need for expensive restorations – from fillings to more complicated treatments like crowns or root canals.
They're Pain-Free
Sealants are pain-free (no numbing!) and as simple to apply as brushing your teeth. The liquid resin is applied with a brush and it takes just a few seconds per tooth.
They Boost Oral Care
Your dental sealants are a boost to your oral care, providing an additional layer of protection to your most vulnerable tooth surfaces.
They're Long-Lasting
Dental sealants take seconds to apply and provide protection for many years. Your dentist will check your sealants at your regular dental checkups to look for signs of wear and tear.
Should My Child Get Dental Sealants in Lakewood, Colorado?
We usually recommend dental sealants in kids as young as six years.
Both children and adults can use sealants to protect against cavities and tooth decay. In fact, applying sealants as soon as the first molars appear (usually by the age of 6) provides a seal to keep teeth cavity-free. This, in hand with excellent oral hygiene practiced from the first appearance of baby teeth, saves you and your child the cost and pain of dental issues down the road.
Take Care of Those Teeth!
Here’s how to keep them healthy.
Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day
Even on the sleepiest of evenings when you can’t wait to lay your head on your pillow, brushing your teeth is a must. It can be easy to skip this step, but it is the best way to get rid of the germs and plaque that build up on your teeth all day long.
Use the Right Brushing Technique
- Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums.
- Gently move the brush back and forth in short (tooth-wide) strokes.
- Brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
- To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes.
- Remind yourself to not brush too hard!
Brush Your Tongue
Brush your tongue when brushing your teeth. Some toothbrushes actually have a rough back designed for tongue brushing. However, you can also gently brush your tongue with the bristles.
Use Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
Try to get a toothpaste that contains hydroxyapatite! These substances act as an agent to reduce your teeth’s demineralization process. They help the enamel stay strong and resist breaking down. If you’re at a loss for which to pick, look for the ADA seal of acceptance to ensure you’re getting the best toothpaste for your teeth, or ask your Lakewood dentist!
Don't Forget to Floss Once a Day
Your toothbrush can’t reach between your teeth, so flossing is a must to remove debris. It also stimulates your gums and keeps them healthy while reducing plaque buildup. Flossing just once a day will greatly improve your oral health regime and help you take care of your teeth.
Breathe Through the Nose
Breathing through your nose is a MAJOR way to prevent tooth decay! When we breathe through our nose, we warm and humidify the air we are breathing, as well as disinfect it. When we breathe through our mouths, we dehydrate our mouths, lead to more plaque buildup, and change the acidity of the mouth. If you can’t breathe through your nose, that is a red flag that there is something going on with your breathing patterns, jaw structure, or nasal structure. Not being able to breathe through your nose warrants further evaluation, not just for your teeth health, but for your whole body health! Sometimes this is as simple as strengthening the muscles of the lips and tongue. This is called myofunctional therapy, and we see many health improvements by using it!
Drink Lots of Water
Keeping your mouth moist helps wash away debris, sugars, and acidic foods between brushings. Water has many health benefits and should always be the drink of choice throughout the day.
See Your Dentist Twice a Year
Last but not least, to take care of your teeth, be sure to visit your dental clinic in Lakewood, CO for a dental cleaning twice a year, or as recommended for your specific needs. This will help your dentist keep an eye on your dental health while also providing professional cleanings to remove plaque.
Take Care of Your Teeth
Here’s how to prevent the need of getting dental sealants in Lakewood, Colorado.
Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day
It’s always a good idea to brush your teeth twice a day. Be sure to brush softly at a 45-degree angle. Move the brush back and forth, and in a circular motion around your teeth and gums. Brush the outer surfaces, inner surfaces, and especially the chewing surfaces.
Brush Your Tongue
Your tongue is known to hold a lot of bacteria left behind from foods and drinks. Brush your tongue whenever you brush your teeth. You can do so gently with your toothbrush’s bristles.
Use Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
Try to get a toothpaste that contains hydroxyapatite! These natural substances act as an agent to reduce your teeth’s demineralization process. They help the enamel stay strong and resist breaking down. If you’re at a loss for which to pick, ask your Lakewood, Colorado dentist!
Don't Forget to Floss Once a Day
Because your toothbrush can’t reach everywhere, flossing is a must to remove debris. It also stimulates your gums and keeps them healthy while reducing plaque buildup.
Breathe Through the Nose
Breathing through your nose is a MAJOR way to prevent tooth decay! When we breathe through our nose, we warm and humidify the air we are breathing, as well as disinfect it. When we breathe through our mouths, we dehydrate our mouths, lead to more plaque buildup, and change the acidity of the mouth. If you can’t breathe through your nose, that is a red flag that there is something going on with your breathing patterns, jaw structure, or nasal structure. Not being able to breathe through your nose warrants further evaluation, not just for your teeth health, but for your whole body health! Sometimes this is as simple as strengthening the muscles of the lips and tongue. This is called myofunctional therapy, and we see many health improvements by using it!
Drink Lots of Water
Water helps wash away debris, sugar, and acidic food, especially between brushings. It also keeps your mouth moist and provides many health benefits.
See Your Dentist Twice a Year
Last but not least, to take care of your teeth, be sure to visit your dental clinic in Lakewood, Colorado for a dental cleaning twice a year, or as recommended for your specific needs. This will help your dentist keep an eye on your dental health while also providing professional cleanings to remove plaque.
About Fox Point Dental In Lakewood, CO
We’re here for your whole health, not just the health of your teeth.
At Fox Point Dental in Lakewood, Colorado, we focus on whole health, functional dentistry. In other words, when you step into our office with a dental problem, we look at the whole you to see the big picture.
Brushing, flossing, using mouthwash, and visiting the dentist for dental cleanings are important. But while these help with dental hygiene, they don’t fix the source of the problem. Oftentimes, tooth decay, crooked teeth, bad breath and other common dental issues are a result of airway obstructions, overcrowded mouths, and narrow dental arches from things such as mouth breathing and sleep-disordered breathing.
By determining the source of the dental problems, we can fix the issues before they get worse. As a functional dentistry practice, it is our goal to not only save you money from preventing future dental procedures but also directly improve the quality of your life.