New CDC Vital Signs Report: Dental Sealants Prevent Cavities
Dental cavities are linked to pain and infection in the mouth that may affect eating and speech. Dental sealants are reported to be effective in protecting the teeth.
Key takeaways:
- Dental sealants are highly effective in preventing cavities in the permanent back teeth of children.
- Children from low income families are at high risk of teeth cavities but are less likely to have dental sealants compared to those from higher income families.
- Providing dental sealants through school-based programs to the low-income children has been projected to save up to $300 million in dental treatment costs.
State officials play an important role in increasing children’s access to school-based dental sealant programs (SPSP) in their states. Officials can target school-based sealant programs to the areas of greatest need in their state.
Read the full story here
https://www.cdc.gov/media/dpk/other/dental-sealants/vs-dental-sealants.html