Research carried out by dentists in Derby could prevent thousands of children from developing tooth decay.
Sixty children at an Alfreton dental practice were treated with a new form of sealant before their adult teeth had fully appeared.
Laura Rose Brady, a dental therapist who has applied the special sealant to more than 170 teeth since 2011, says that the results have been positive. Through regular check-ups it has been discovered that none of the teeth covered with the sealant became decayed. Miss Brady was very pleased with the results of the research and said that the developments could make a huge difference to the future of children’s oral health. The dental surgery is now working with other practices throughout Derbyshire who are interested in trialling the sealant.
The research was carried out in association with Sheffield and Nottingham universities.
A proposal is now being put together for the National Institute for Health Research by Dr Bhupinder Dawett. It is hoped that they will be granted the funding to carry out research into further study into the sealant, which is manufactured by GC Ltd.
Head of primary care at NHS Derbyshire County, Keith Mann, said that the research has been a huge success and is hoping that future studies are equally successful.