Molars and premolars must last a lifetime. These teeth help us chew our food.
Dental sealants help molars and premolars fight cavities.
A sealant is a non-toxic, thin coating that keeps food and germs off the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
They can protect up to 85% of chewing-surface cavities.
They may be clear, white, or tinted and they are not noticeable when someone smiles.
Sealants need to be placed as soon as permanent molars appear in the mouth.
Start looking for permanent molars when your child is five years old.
The process of sealing teeth is simple. Teeth are cleaned to remove plaque and food debris.
Next, a gel is applied on the chewing surface and then rinsed with water.
The tooth is dried and the sealant is painted on the grooves of the tooth.
A special light is used to harden the sealant and smiles, across Florida, stay sunny and healthy.
Sealants can be placed by a dental professional from the Florida Department of Health
Dental Clinic in your local health office or at school-based programs
or by a dental professional at a dentist's office.
Most insurance plans cover the cost of sealants and sealants can last up to 10 years.
Florida's School-Based Sealant Program, sealing sunny smiles across Florida!
Learn more at www.flhealth.gov/sealants.