Question about dental sealants

A caution regarding dental insurance paying for sealants. You'd think it would be covered under preventative care, but it isn't always,so be sure and check first.

My personal opinion is that sealants help. I've never heard of anyone renewing the sealant. If I'm not mistaken, they only paint the top of the teeth and the jaggedy edges seem to encourage bits of food to stick there if a child doesn't brush well. Those teeth are ones that are a little more prone to decay. So unless your kids brush exceptionally well and you are "on top" of their brushing and they do not eat much candy or chewey sticky stuff I would lean toward getting sealants.

Both my kids have sealants, but the subject wasn't brought up until one of them had a cavity already. They couldn't put a sealant on the one that had to be filled, but did the others. I think it has helped.

I have them on my six-year and twelve-year molars-- got them when I was thirteen. I don't have them on my wisdom teeth (which grew in straight and I chew with them-- I have a big mouth!) and I got cavities in my wisdom teeth soon after they grew in, but didn't get any in those other molars until I took prednisone for two years.

on my fartherest molars. They are 16 years old. I got them on very small, beginning cavities.

Wish I had a big mouth (well, I HAVE a big mouth -- I wish I had a big jaw!). I've had 6 permanent teeth pulled & still no room in my mouth. Now, at age 37 I have a wisdom tooth who is trying to show his snooty little self. So, it will be off to the oral surgeon before too long. Ugh!

Vonnie