Adult Sealants
By Dr. Linda Niessen -- Baylor College of Dentistry STORY: ADULT SEALANTS SCRIPT #527 SHOOT: 9/10/03 AIRDATE: Monday, October 13, 2003 DHC Master #18 Timecode: 29:44
Monday, October 13, 2003
Adults in their 20's and 30's may not have any cavities because they grew up with fluoride in water and toothpaste. But they still may need sealants, a procedure that's not just for kids. Dr. Linda Niessen has details in today's Dental Health Check.
Young adults like Kate Knochel have avoided the most common childhood disease-tooth decay or cavities. "My first one was like when I was 19," said Kate.
So Kate's dentist, Dr. Bob Hunsucker of Plano, suggested sealing Kate's cavity free molars. "Sealants are perfect for teeth that have never had a cavity before," said Dr. Hunsucker, "and never had a filling before. Sealants are plastic resin that flow into the grooves of the teeth and help prevent the bacteria from getting into the teeth that causes decay in the teeth."
Children should have first molars sealed at about age six and second molars at about age twelve, or as soon as they come in. Dental insurance often pays for the procedure. But after age fourteen there may be a problem with insurance not covering the sealants. It is sure worth paying the small price of a sealant, however, versus getting a cavity and having to pay a bigger price for a filling." One sealant costs about 30 to 40 dollars. One filling costs as much as 140 dollars.
One high risk group for cavities appears to be college students, especially college freshman. According to Kate's dentist, "when kids go off to college, they're eating differently. They're not brushing the same. Mom or dad are not there to remind them to brush. And we'll see cavities when they come back from that first semester. They'll have a cavity or two just because things have changed."
Kate fit that profile. Her first cavity developed during college. "When I came home from my freshman year, maybe I hadn't been brushing my teeth enough."
So if your college student comes home with cavities this semester, give him or her an education about sealants. They're not just for children. For Baylor College of Dentistry, The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center in Dallas, I'm Dr. Linda Niessen, Channel 8 News.
Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.
