Children's tooth decay is always a problem that plagues parents, and small black spots appear on the baby's teeth if you are not careful, especially those that appear on the big teeth near the mouth, if you do not have regular checkups, it is easy to be ignored. Rather than waiting until tooth decay regrets not being at the beginning, it is better to take measures to prevent cavities in advance, and pit and fissure sealing is an effective means of preventing cavities for teeth grinding, which is recommended by the World Health Organization. However, some parents question the effect of pit and fissure sealing, is it necessary to do pit and fissure sealing? Today we're going to talk about that.
What is the effect of pit and fissure sealing to prevent caries? Is it necessary to do it?
Pit and fissure sealing, as the name suggests, is to fill in the pit and fissure. And the pit and fissure is on the occlusal surface of our molars, lick it with the tongue, whether you can lick the big teeth and have an uneven feeling, there is a pit and fissure. These areas are difficult to clean deeply with a toothbrush, so they become hygienic dead ends, and cariogenic bacteria continue to break down food residues to produce acid and corrode teeth, and tooth decay occurs.
Data show that about 40% of 60% of children in China suffer from caries, and pit and fissure caries account for about 90% of caries. If the pits and fissures are sealed, food debris and bacteria can be prevented, and brushing can be made easier, thus preventing tooth decay. Therefore, pit and fissure sealing is necessary to do! This is especially true for children who are susceptible to tooth decay, have deep pits and fissures, and do not maintain good oral hygiene.
The effect of pit and fissure sealing is also obvious to all. Many studies have shown that pit and fissure sealants are effective in preventing tooth decay. A follow-up study on the effect of six-year-old dental pit and fissure sealing in children with a sample of more than 2,000 people found that the six-year-old dental caries rate in the experimental group (who had undergone pit and fissure sealing) after 4-year follow-up was from 07% rises to 23% in the control group (without pit and fissure sealing) from 36% rises to 174%。Pit and fissure sealing can effectively reduce the occurrence of dental caries, and the effect of preventing caries is certain.
Why do I still have tooth decay after pit and fissure sealing?
Although pit and fissure sealing is an effective means of preventing caries, it does not mean that pit and fissure sealing can be done once and for all. On the one hand, pit and fissure sealing only targets the occlusal surface of the molars, and does not protect all teeth in 360 degrees. On the other hand, after the pit and fissure sealing, the sealant may fall off, and once it falls off, the protective effect on the teeth will also be weakened. Studies have shown that the shedding of pit and fissure sealants of the first permanent molars in 7 to 9-year-old children is related to oral hygiene, dietary habits, psychological factors, caries number and type of pit and fissure sealants. Therefore, to prevent tooth decay, we cannot rely solely on medical means or one of the daily serious brushing, it is recommended to take a two-pronged approach, even if the pit and fissure sealing, you need to brush your teeth carefully twice a day according to the correct brushing method, rinse your mouth after meals, and use dental floss, mouthwash and other all-round protection of oral health.