Advice needed about fissure sealing children's teeth...

[brokenrecord]

DD1 (10) had a tiny dark line down the middle of one of her molars which I thought was decay, but in fact was just where the plaque wasn't getting cleaned out properly. Dentist said to make appt to have it cleaned and the tooth fissure sealed. Since then I have cleaned it with a bit more pressure applied to the electric toothbrush (WHY do they say to do it with no pressure!) and it has cleaned up completely. I wondered if any of our MN dental specialists could tell me whether to go for the fissure sealing anyway, which I think the dentist will still want to do, or just keep it clean from now. I tend to leaving it as I think as little interference as poss is usually best. Thanks for reading this terribly boring post - hope someone can advise....

not a dentist but my children have had this done - it was recommended by my dentist. can't remember the details though- sorry.

Hi, I am a dental nurse by the way. A fissure sealant will just maintain the back teeth to stop decay getting in. It is used if there is a small amount of decay already there or if there is a chance the decay may become decayed. I think you should go for it. It isn't like a filling, there wll be no drilling just something painted on the teeth. It will stop any need for a filling. Hope this helps

Thank you everyone! I am amazed that I got any replies to this tedious post!

(I'm tying my brain in knots with the mental maths of your statement Madame Deathstare, as I was a child in the 70's too, and that doesn't really give you much time to get your many many fillings after the age of 44 - about one or two years by my calculations )

my ds1, had it to protect biting surfaces.
Brill imo

Hi

I also know very little about this but my DH had it done (also in the 70s) but by an obviously dodgy dentist who sealed in a load of bacteria (I think) and a few years later he had to have a filling in almost every tooth because they were rotting from the inside. This was only picked up when he needed a brace and the X rays showed the huge amount of decay.

He is really suffering now with loads of root canal work stemming from all the fillings. I would not have our dcs teeth sealed!

Sorry for horror story!

Oh God - that sounds awful Rupert. (Mind you my teet are terrible from the 70's too with no sealant.)

Any other opinions...?

Hello,

I am a dentist, and I will be fissure sealing my children's teeth when they are old enough. Best to be done as soon as the (adult) teeth erupt through the gum.

sounds expensive and i've heard they can fall out quite easily?

i ahd my dd done - not expensive and it cant fall out as it is jsut something painted on to the teeth .

I had it done in the 80s and it cracked, resulting in my needing endless fillings as an adult. All the biting surfaces were covered and I had no existing decay or fillings at teh time.

My dentist says he sees this all the time and would never recommend it.

My dentist cautions against this with the RTH story - if the seal isn't perfect you can't detect any decay that might get in.
I'm still tempted, though.

think i'll stick to good old brushing properly

Re. the brushing: I think the OP said the discolouration went when she pressed hard with the electric toothbrush.
I used one of these for a few years and actually had a few fillings in that time.
There was one particular tooth that never felt 'right'.
I went back to a normal brush after a holiday when I just used that for 2 weeks, and realised my teeth just hadn't been properly cleaned.
Would never go back to electric, but maybe they suit some more than others.

Sorry to be mean but if you get decay it is because the frequency of sugary food and drink going into your mouth is too great.Full Stop.! There is no evidence at all that fissure sealants increase the chances of decay - they are well known to reduce decay (in fissures)in those that are at high risk from it (ie with a high sugar diet and poor oral hygiene). I am a dentist and I will fissure seal my children's teeth.

I am confused! The dental profession is obviously split on this one
The school dentist recommended ds have sealants, but the next day he had an appointment with his normal NHS dentist, who said that ds had excellent dental hygeine, and that sealants were not indicated. She said you needed to have regular x rays to detect underlying decay, and she would only recommend them in kids with an appalling diet who couldn't change their eating habits

I had it done in the very early 80's and my teeth have always been good but maybe that is just luck.

What exactly is the stuff that they paint on?

Is it some type of plastic?

The stuff they put on is like a very runny white filling. The NHS consider them not 'cost effective' in children that have good teeth anyway, which is why you get the difference in opinions.