4 GREAT Reasons to Love Your Sealants

   

       Sealants are a thin, tooth colored, and flowable material that covers the deep grooves and pits in molar teeth. It is easy for bacteria/plaque to accumulate and hide out, and it is often a hard place for tooth brushes to reach. Sealants reduce cavities simply by covering a surface that is more prone to cavities, but they are great for other reasons too!

1. They're 0.00000% BPA Free and Bis-DMA Free
      BPA is a cancer-causing chemical used in some plastics and resins. In 1996, the Granada Study was released*. This study reported that all sealants contained Bisphenal-A (BPA). However, only one sealant brand was tested in the study.
       What is BIS-DMA, it is another bisphenol based product that is sometimes used in sealants or resin based composites. When it reacts with saliva, it breaks down into BPA. Dr. Leaf only uses sealants that do not contain BPA or BIS-DMA in order to help keep your child's teeth and body healthy!

2. The sealant releases fluoride to the tooth to promote healthy enamel
       Fluoride is essential for the health of your teeth. It helps to strengthen the enamel of the tooth which helps prevent against decay. It also helps to remineralize and repair areas where the tooth might have been weakened or where a cavity has begun to form.

3. They are certified gluten free
       The sealants we use are evaluated by a testing organization known as the Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO). This organization measures the amount of gluten in a product by standards set by the Association of Analytical Communities and the American Association of Clinical Chemistry to ensure that a product is gluten free.

4. They are 96.3% Effective
    In a study surveying 350 adolescents two-years after sealants were placed 96.3% of the youth had no new pit and fissure carious lesions (signs of decay) and the sealants had stayed intact**. If your child is getting routine 6 month check-up and cleanings, it can be expected that this number will increase as we evaluate and reapply sealants as needed.

Comment below with your reasons why YOU love your sealants!




*Olea N, Pulgar R, Pérez P, Olea-Serrano F, Rivas A, Novillo-Fertrell A, et al. 1996. Estrogenicity of resin-based composites and sealants used in dentistry. Environmental Health Perspectives (104,
3, pp. 298–305)
**Boksman L, Carson B. Two-year retention and cured rate of UltraSeal XT and Fluorshield light-cured pit and fissure sealants. Gen Dent. 1998; 46(2); 184-7

Thumbs, Fingers, Pacifiers, Oh My!

Fingers, thumbs, and pacifiers are all great ways for children to self soothe, but what do you do when it's time to stop?

Cross-bite, open-bite
caused by thumb habit