Healthy Smiles Program Promotes Good Oral Hygiene

Helping underserved children through the Healthy Smiles Sealant Program  is one of my favorite rotations out of the several I do throughout the year. Last week, I spent four days visiting three schools in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. I spent my days with a group of dental students, three dental assistants and a dentist placing sealants on elementary school children's teeth. 

The Healthy Smiles Sealant Program started with a pilot grant in 1999 by the Saint Luke's Foundation of Cleveland.  This partnership between Case School of Dental Medicine, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Saint Luke's Foundation has led to a district-wide program that helps educate children and parents on the importance of good oral hygiene.

Numerous dental supply companies provide free items, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and sealant material.   The mission of the program is to provide oral health care for underserved children in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.  This was my fourth trip to the Cleveland schools since I started dental school in August 2008.  The program incorporates all four years of dental students.  During our trips to the school we treat all second, third and sixth graders that have a signed consent form.  This treatment involves a dental exam on permanent molars and place sealants.

So what are dental sealants and why are they so important? Dental sealants are protective barriers that are applied to the chewing surface of back teeth.  These back teeth, molars and premolars, have deep groves and depressions (pits and fissures) that act as a food trap.  A sealant is a plastic resin that bonds into the enamel of these grooves and depressions.  Once bonded to enamel, the sealant acts as a barrier by protecting the tooth from plaque and acid.  Although brushing and flossing remove plaque from the smooth surfaces of teeth, the bristles cannot reach down into the depressions.  Sealants basically seal this area off protecting the tooth from decay.

Placing sealants is an easy procedure that can be done by your dentist.  First, the teeth must be cleaned.  Next, an acid solution is added to the grooves and depressions, which is important for the sealant to bond to the tooth.  The sealant is then applied to the grooves and depressions and a curing light is used to harden it. 

The reason we see second, third and sixth graders is due to the fact that first molars erupt around the age of six and second molars erupt around the age of 12. As soon as these teeth erupt they become candidates for developing pit and fissure cavities.  Sealants cannot be placed over a cavity. Placing sealants is a preventative measure, and some adults may benefit from sealants as well.

Sealants can withstand normal chewing forces and tend to last for a few years.  At your normal dental check up, your dentist will check the integrity of the sealant and see if reapplication is necessary.  If you are interested in dental sealants ask you dental provider for more information.