Think of sealants as raincoats for tiny teeth, protecting them from harmful bacteria and deteriorating decay. Sealants are made up of a very thin type of plastic coating that we quickly and painlessly brush on top of your teeth’s enamel. Sealants are highly effective at helping to fill in where there are grooves within the teeth where cavities love to live, causing up to 75 percent of all dental decay in kids. Your Medford pediatric dentist likes to recommend sealants for baby teeth if teeth (for whatever reason) are deemed to be more prone to cavity development. Between the ages of six and 16, older children and teens are more susceptible to tooth decay and should consider sealants a preventive option.