Sealants are valuable for reducing cavities, research suggests. While we don't believe everything we see in the New York Times (thinking about the "flossing doesn't make a difference" article!), here's a more valid research finding.
The New York Times "The Upshot" blog reports that a 2013 Cochrane review and a systematic review published in the August edition of the Journal of the American Dental Association both concluded that sealants are a valuable procedure that can protect children's teeth because they are "effective in reducing cavities."
The article points out that the American Dental Association "encourages sealant application" and notes current evidence indicates BPA exposure from sealants is not harmful. The systematic review of the use of sealants and the updated clinical practice guidelines are both available in the August issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association. The ADA News also reported previously on research published in the ADA Professional Product Review that shows BPA in dental sealants is safe. MouthHealthy.org provides additional information on sealants.
Dr. Rebecca Swett, DDS, FAGD
Dr. Rebecca Swett co-founded Swett Dentistry in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1996. A Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry, she began her career as a dental hygienist before earning her DDS from the Medical College of Virginia and completing advanced general dentistry training at the University of Connecticut Health Center. She chairs the Dental Advisory Committee for the Charlottesville Free Clinic.
