by Isabelle
Losing teeth and getting new ones is part of growing up. Around the age of 6, wiggly anterior teeth soon make room for adult incisors. Children also get their very first adult molars around that same period. However, those molars don’t replace any baby tooth; they erupt behind them. If you take a closer look at them, you may see grooves on their biting surface. Although these grooves are completely normal, they may increase your child`s risk of tooth decay. In fact, some molars have deeper pits and fissures that are too narrow for toothbrush bristles to reach but large enough for plaque to accumulate in. Therefore, even with the best brushing technique possible, it is not unusual for cavities to develop in that specific area. At your child`s routine hygiene and exam appointment, our dentists and hygienists pay close attention to those new molars and may recommend placing sealants to “seal” pits and fissures. This simple and easy procedure takes only a few minutes and does not require anesthesia. Knowing your child will have these molars for the rest of their life, sealants are worth considering to help keeping cavities away.