01 Mar

Dental decay among London kids

Caries tooth is the single major problem affecting London school children and some of the most important reasons being ineffective cleaning of teeth, lack of fluoride in drinking water, calcium and vitamin D deficiency.  Though enough care is taken in brushing and flossing, there are some areas of teeth, which are inaccessible by the bristles of brush, especially the molars. These molars have many grooves on their chewing surfaces, which make them very difficult to keep clean. Over the time, these areas begin to develop symptoms of dental decay, later on spreading to other parts. There lies the importance of this modern approach in dentistry, i.e. prevention is better than cure. If we can make these surfaces a little smooth, it becomes easier to keep them clean. For this purpose, London dentists use some resin-like materials called fissure sealants to cover the biting surfaces of the susceptible teeth by a special technique. The most susceptible being molars, they are first treated with an acidic solution to prepare them to be sealed with the protective covering. Then a resin-like substance called fissure sealant is applied on the surface, which sets after exposure to a special light, i.e. visible blue light that sets the sealant (the resin) by polymerization and fixes it to the grooves on the surface of the teeth. This technique is generally used in children of age 9 to 14, immediately after the molars develop. If applied correctly, these sealants last up to 5 years. This technique is very simple, easy to use, and cost effective .It is pain-free too. Even though the sealant can protect the biting surface, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have to take care of your teeth. Areas in between teeth can still be affected by caries. So regular visit to the London dentist is very essential to make sure that the sealant is intact and there is no sign of any other diseases affecting gums and teeth along with regular brushing, flossing, and cleaning.