Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings that protect the chewing surfaces of children’s back teeth from tooth decay.
Overall, the prevalence of sealants in children’s and adolescent’s teeth has increased since the early 1970s. In spite of this improvement, significant disparities remain in some population groups.
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) has been an important source of information on oral health and dental care in the United States since the early 1970s. Click on the links below for details about the prevalence of dental sealants from the most recent survey (1999-2004).
Click here for consumer information on dental sealants