Teeth sealing - what is it and what does the procedure involve?

Teeth sealing - what is it and what does the procedure involve?

On 8 September 202225 June 2024In Polish Dentist in the UK, Paediatric dentistry

It is increasingly being said that tooth decay is a disease of civilisation. One cannot argue with this statement - the statistics are frightening. Worst of all, the disease often affects the youngest children and attacks the deciduous teeth. If you do not ensure that your child has completely healthy milk teeth, he or she will be exposed to bad permanent teeth in the future, and possibly even lose them! This is why it is a good idea to prevent tooth decay. One way of doing this is tooth sealing. 

Teeth sealing - what is it? 

Today, tooth sealing is the best way to prevent tooth decay. You ask, isn't it the case that proper oral hygiene is enough? Shouldn't it be the basis? The answer is yes, but there is another aspect to consider. Well: despite the most sincere intentions, children often find it difficult to brush their teeth properly. 

Often they are bored, inaccurate or simply - they don't have their hands skilled enough yet. They can simply skip over certain areas and plaque will accumulate there, which will bring with it negative consequences. Furthermore, your child's first permanent teeth - the molars - have many cavities in them that help them bite their food. These are the ones that are often simply difficult to clean. This is why varnishing comes to the rescue! 

The painting depicts a young boy lying in a dental chair during a visit to the dentist. The dentist, whom we can only partially see, is wearing black gloves and is performing a procedure in the boy's mouth using dental instruments. The boy is wearing a blue T-shirt and looks happy during the procedure.

What does the treatment involve? 

Tooth sealing consists of filling, sealing the cavities that occur on the surface of the tooth. This makes the tooth smooth and makes it much easier for the child (as well as adults!) to take care of oral hygiene. 

The procedure can be performed by a dentist, hygienist or dental assistant. What is more, the entire procedure is completely painless. The specialist first cleans the teeth, then dries the teeth from saliva. Then comes the turn to coat the teeth with varnish. The dentist uses a syringe for this, but there is no needle! Later, he hardens everything for 20 seconds using a blue light. And that's it! 

The painting depicts a dentist's office. A dentist wearing a green apron and mask smiles at a little girl sitting in a dental chair. The dentist is holding a model of the dentition in his blue-gloved hands, presumably explaining the dental procedure to the child. You can also see the assistant in the background, who is also wearing a protective mask over her face. The scenery reflects the professional and friendly atmosphere in the dental office.

Teeth sealing - your child's first dental treatment 

It is recommended that the sealant treatment be carried out as soon as possible! Children as young as two or three years old can already be treated. You ask: Why seal milk teeth? Precisely so that they do not become decayed through decay and thus infect permanent teeth! 

Before varnishing in toddlers, it is a good idea to bring your child for an adaptation visit. Many parents downplay this issue, not seeing the point. This is a mistake! Visiting as soon as possible and then repeating it regularly helps the child become accustomed to the surgery. We have prepared an article on this subject: "Your child's first visit to the UK". Be sure to read it! 

Contraindications to tooth sealing in children 

Sealing is a treatment for everyone, but there is one factor that prevents a child from undergoing it. If the teeth are not completely healthy, unfortunately - it is already too late!

Of course, this is reversible, as the diseased tooth can be repaired. We would like to point out that the belief still persists that milk teeth "don't pay" to be treated. This is a huge mistake. Sick milk teeth are a direct threat to permanent teeth. It is also important to be careful because caries can occur even when the child does not yet have all its teeth! So you need to react quickly. Read the text "Filling a deciduous tooth in the UK" and check how milk teeth are treated.  

The painting depicts a young boy with his eyes closed and a wry expression as he brushes his teeth. The child is holding a toothbrush in his mouth and appears to be experiencing discomfort during this activity. The picture may suggest that children are sometimes reluctant to perform basic hygiene tasks such as brushing their teeth.

First, prevention

Remember, however, that even the best treatment will not help if your child does not know how to take good care of their oral hygiene. We also realise that parents often do their best to teach their children this, but in turn, brushing their teeth bores them and they are reluctant to do it! We have a remedy for this, 10 in fact! We have collected them all in our article "10 ways to encourage your child to brush their teeth". 

As well as maintaining good oral hygiene, remember to regular visits to the dentist. We know that children can be afraid of the dentist's surgery, especially if the first visit was associated with pain. Therefore, it is best to prevent this - that is, to make sure that an adaptation appointment is arranged. However, if there has not been space for this - nothing lost. Read our article: "Fear of the dentist in a child - how to combat it?". 

During regular visits, the child will become accustomed to the surgery, the dentist will catch any cavities in time, but will also take care of the condition of the teeth. You can also read about other preventive treatments in our guide: "Preventive treatments for your child - or how to keep your little one's teeth healthy".

We hope we have encouraged you to consider sealing your child's teeth. Remember - adults can also undergo this treatment!