Sealants are thin plastic coatings brushed on the chewing surfaces of teeth.
Sealants can prevent more than 80 percent of dental decay in children. Only an estimated 26 percent of North Carolina children have sealants on their permanent teeth. Free 3M sealant material was applied to the teeth of almost 9,000 children in all 100 counties of the state on a single day earlier this year. Many children came from counties where there are no privately practicing dentists. The impact of Seal the State in '98 will reach far beyond that one day.