A dental sealant is a plastic material placed on the pits and fissures of the chewing surfaces of teeth where up to 90 percent of decay occurs in school children. Sealants prevent tooth decay by creating a barrier between the teeth and decay-causing bacteria. Sealants also stop cavities from growing and can prevent the need for expensive fillings.
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The Arkansas Seal-the-State initiative was begun in 2007 with a two-year grant from the Daughters of Charity Foundation in St. Louis, Missouri. Currently, Seal-the-State is a cooperative effort of the ADH Office of Oral Health, Arkansas Children’s Hospital and volunteer dentists and dental hygienists. During the initial two-year project, more than 2,000 children received dental sealants, free of charge.
As with that successful beginning, the current partnership program uses portable, state-of-the-art dental equipment set up in schools across Arkansas to treat children at risk of tooth decay. Seal-the-State also conducts educational and awareness efforts on dental sealants using both print and broadcast media to help Arkansans understand the importance of sealants.
The combination of dental sealants and community water fluoridation can prevent virtually all tooth decay in children.