Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and you are probably looking forward to eating copious amounts of your holiday favorites; roast turkey, pecan and pumpkin pie, cranberry salad and garlic mashed potatoes. As you enjoy your favorite foods, take some extra time caring for your healthy smile and show some love for your dental sealants!
Caring for your dental sealants is very much the same as caring for your unsealed teeth. While the protective resin coating covering the surfaces of your back teeth, or molars, helps keep out the tiny food particles and bacterial plaque from the pits and fissures, you want to keep the surface as clean as the surrounding areas, because plaque can form from lingering bacteria in the mouth.
This means you should be following these steps to clean your sealed teeth and the surrounding areas:
–Brush twice a day with a soft-bristle toothbrush and toothpaste that is ADA approved for safety and effectiveness. Brush the tops of the molars, cleaning the sealants, as well as the inside and outside of each tooth.
–Next, use your favorite method of flossing to clear any stuck particles between the teeth, the gums, and the gum line where tartar tends to form, leading to gum disease as well as tooth decay. Flossing also breaks down the bacterial film that colonizes your mouth.
–Follow up with an antibacterial mouthwash to rinse the loosened particles and bacteria and to kill any germs still lurking around.
–Make sure to see your dentist every six months to check for any cracks in the sealants, and to deep clean and remove tartar from your teeth and gums.
So enjoy your Thanksgiving goodies and remember to be thankful for your dental hygiene routine and your dentist for helping you smile all-year-round!