Are you worried about the effect all that sugar from all that Halloween candy will have on your child’s teeth? If so, you are a wise parent and this blog is for you.

Sugar feeds the bacteria that cause tooth decay, and bacteria love hanging out in the pits and fissures of your teeth. Fissures are the naturally occurring “valleys” in the chewing surface of molars and premolars – the teeth at the very back of your mouth. Pits occur when two fissures cross.

Tiny food particles can get stuck in pits and fissures because pits and fissures are hard to clean. Bacteria thrive on what flossing and brushing miss, causing tooth decay.

Although it is almost impossible to keep your child completely sugar-free on October 31st, you can do something to protect his or her teeth. When properly applied by your dental hygienist, a pit and fissure sealant will put a barrier between your child’s teeth and decay-causing bacteria.

The sealant used by your dental hygienist is a strong, plastic, clear or tooth-coloured coating that is put on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Applying sealant to teeth is quick, easy and painless. The sealant is safe even for young children, and it costs less than having a cavity filled later on.

Treat your child’s teeth to pit and fissure sealant, and treat yourself to lower dental bills!