Dental Sealants Decrease Risk of Tooth Decay

Although tooth decay is largely preventable, it remains the most common chronic disease of children aged 6 to 11 years (21 percent), and adolescents aged 12 to 19 years (58 percent), based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) report of 2011-2012.

The systematic literature review evaluated the use and effectiveness of dental sealants – a therapy that has been around for more than five decades – as a preventive strategy for reducing dental disease in children, analyzing outcomes such as caries incidence, sealant retention and possible adverse effects.