Overly Secret Weapon Against Tooth Decay: Plastic Sealant

Government and private dental health experts are beginning a new push to tell parents about effective but underused plastic sealants that can protect children's teeth against decay.

Newly announced results from a national survey indicate that, despite years of urging by dental experts, only 8 percent of American schoolchildren have the protective sealant on their teeth to prevent decay.

Officials at the National Institute of Dental Research, which sponsored the Federal sampling of almost 40,000 children nationwide, noted in releasing the results this month that they did not expect to find such low use of a proved and relatively simple technique.

''It's safe to say we're surprised by the findings,'' said Dr. Preston A. Littleton Jr., deputy director of the institute and deputy chief dental officer of the United States Public Health Service. ''A quarter-century of research has found them to be completely safe, highly effective and very economical in preventing tooth decay.''

Dental sealants are thin plastic films that are painted on the chewing surfaces of permanent teeth, specifically the large flat molars and premolars, or bicuspids, toward the rear of the mouth. The film, which can last for 10 years or more, prevents decay along the irregular surfaces, pits and fissures characteristic of these teeth where food particles and bacteria can be trapped. Not Recommended for Adults

These types of teeth are the most susceptible to decay, and survey data disclosed they now account for two-thirds of all cavities and deterioration found on children's teeth. The fissured surfaces of these teeth benefit least from the protective effects of fluoride, which works best on smooth surfaces, dental experts say.

Experts do not recommend the sealants for adults because people are not as prone to cavities when they get older and many adults already have filled teeth, which are not candidates for sealants.

Although sealant is not recommended for teeth that have fillings, research indicates it can be used on teeth with early signs of decay or cavities. The sealant appears to arrest decay by sealing off nutrients and preventing deterioration beneath the plastic.

Sealant typically costs $10 to $15 a tooth and many dental insurance plans now cover it, specialists said.

''By combining the use of sealants and fluorides, tooth decay could be virtually eliminated,'' Dr. Littleton said.

The Surgeon General of the United States, the American Dental Association and others concerned with dental health have encouraged sealant use, primarily in communciations with dentists and other professionals.

''But we haven't communicated the need for sealants to the public, and we are going to make a push in this area,'' Dr. Littleton said. ''We are reaching out to the public and want parents to start inquiring about sealants.'' Public Campaign for Sealants

Richard Asa, a spokesman for the dental association, said the organization has also begun a public push for sealants and is encouraging their use for all children.

The latest data on sealant use came from a study conducted in the 1986-87 school year at 970 schools around the United States. Dentists trained by the institute performed oral examinations on pupils 5 to 17 years old, chosen to represent the 43 million schoolchildren of the nation. The margin of sampling error for a survey of this size would be less than plus or minus one percentage point.

Reluctance by dentists to use sealant and relatively few requests by parents for the treatments appear responsible for the underuse, Dr. Littleton said in a telephone interview.

When sealant became commercially available in the early 1970's, it was more difficult to apply and not as durable as the current types, Dr. Littleton said.

Mr. Asa said published surveys showed that 38 percent of dentists reported using sealant in 1978, but the number rose to only 52 percent by 1984.

New sealants are far superior and the institute is encouraging dentists to use them and parents to ask about them, Dr. Littleton said.

''It should be considered for every child in the United States and we don't feel that is the case right now,'' Dr. Littleton said.

Source: New York Times

More Information:

Plastic Surgery Before And After

Facial Cream