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Central London dentists have been placing dental sealants for a long time to seal out dental decay. These sealants are almost always placed on the back teeth; the child’s premolars and molars, on the biting surfaces. These dental sealants are made of plastic, and act as coatings to seal out decay and protect these teeth against dental decay that usually occurs in the grooves of the teeth where they are placed. The teeth grooves are usually very small, and cannot be brushed adequately. The bristles of the toothbrush have trouble reaching the dental caries in these grooves. In addition, if the dental sealants are placed over areas of minimal tooth decay, they will reduce and even stop the progression of dental caries development. Your Central London dentist would like to place these sealants on your child’s teeth as soon as the permanent molars erupt; usually at 6 to 12 years old. Dental sealants aren’t placed on teeth that already have fillings. Dental sealant are relatively easy to place and do not require any drilling of the teeth or anaesthesia. The teeth are treated with a mild etching material, thoroughly dried, and then the dental sealant are placed and cured using a dental light with a halogen bulb. This procedure is very safe. Dental sealants last from 2 to 4 years, but have already been reported to last for 10+ years. Visit your Central London dentist to seal out decay from your child’s teeth.