When children are developing their dental care habits, it can be difficult for them to thoroughly clean teeth that have deep grooves, which are already highly susceptible to tooth decay. In fact, according to Pediatric Dental Group in Honolulu, HI, more than 75% of cavities will start in these grooves. This is why they recommend parents consider protecting their children’s teeth and gums with dental sealants.

Sealants are thin, plastic coatings that only take a few minutes to apply and are designed to improve children’ s dental health. They work by filling in the grooves and fissures of the teeth and “seal out” food particles and bacteria that can easily become lodged in these areas otherwise.

Even though the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends kids receive dental sealants as soon as their adult teeth erupt to prevent cavities, this is not yet the case for many children. The reason for this has mostly been due to the misinformation about sealants and BPA (bisphenol-A).

Although sealants contain a compound known as bis-GMA (a derivation of both BPA and BP-GMA), it consists of different properties than those that make up BPA, which has been banned from baby bottles and children’s drinking cups. According to Joel Berg, spokesperson for The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and chairman of pediatric dentistry at the University of Washington in Seattle, bis-GMA is a much larger compound than BPA, making it much less likely to leak or become absorbable in the mouth.

If leaking were to occur, it would be on par with the risk taken every time we consume drinking water. Even though it could be the cleanest water, there are still typically trace amounts of mercury present. To keep potential exposure at its lowest, be sure to speak with your children’s dentist about scrubbing and rinsing the sealants after they are applied to your child’s teeth to help eliminate any possible compounds that could potentially develop into BPA.

If you would like to learn more about how sealants can improve your child’s dental care, call Pediatric Dental Group today at (808) 593-8828. You can also visit this children’s dentist online or Facebook to learn more about their other dental procedures.