Dental sealants are one of the best ways to prevent cavities, particularly in children who may struggle with proper oral hygiene. However, there are precautions that you can take after dental sealants have been applied to help them do their job effectively.
One of the most significant ways to protect your sealants is by avoiding particular foods. Doing without your favorite foods may not always be easy, but the team at Empire Dental Care assures you that avoiding the headache of tooth decay is well worth your while.1
Avoid Eating These Foods After Dental Sealants
To protect your sealants and prevent issues, avoid these foods:
Caramel
Chewy and sticky foods are the biggest issues after applying dental sealants. You’ll want to avoid any foods that are chewy, sticky, and even hard for a day or two after application. After this time has passed, you’ll want to remain cautious of chewy and sticky foods like caramel.
Gummy Candy
Gummy candy may not seem too problematic, but it can easily stick to the sealant and cause all kinds of issues. Keep in mind that all that sugar becoming lodged in your molars has a high potential to result in the tooth decay you were trying to prevent in the first place.
Toffee
Toffee is hard, crunchy, and sticky, which means it threatens your dental sealants in more ways than one. It is best to avoid this food entirely.
Jawbreakers and Other Hard Candy
You might assume you can suck on a piece of hard candy long enough that it doesn’t present any risk to your dental sealants, but it only takes one mental lapse for you to bite down too early accidentally. Biting down on hard candy incorrectly could crack or chip your sealant.
Because of this risk, you will want to avoid hard candy altogether while you have dental sealants.
Licorice
Licorice isn’t gummy candy and is not necessarily too sticky. But it is chewy and can definitely affect your dental sealants if you’re not careful. The recommendation is that you avoid it to prevent unnecessary dental visits.
Lollipops
Much like with hard candy, it can be easy to talk yourself into a lollipop being harmless to your dental sealants as long as you’re careful not to bite down too soon. However, there is too much room for error to risk eating this food; biting down too early could crack or otherwise damage your dental sealant.
Ice Cubes
Many people enjoy eating ice cubes. Unfortunately, this habit poses a risk to your sealant and your teeth in general. Choosing not to chew on ice can keep you from visiting your dentist sooner than expected.
Looking for Dental Sealants in Webster, NY?
Empire Dental Care can help you or your child protect your teeth with the help of dental sealants. Our caring, experienced team provides both general and cosmetic dentistry in the Rochester area. Contact us today to learn more about this simple yet highly effective treatment. Call us at 585-671-1650.
Sources:
[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cavities/symptoms-causes/syc-20352892
