Are sealants doing more than preventing caries?

Dental sealants are among some of dentistry's most effective tools for preventing tooth decay when applied to pediatric patients' teeth. Yet, a quiet controversy is mounting about some of the chemicals that may be leaching from these powerhouses of prevention. Some scientists hint that sealants may require further study to rule out possible links between some of their components and breast cancer development, prostate enlargement and some as-yet-unknown biological effects. While sealants' preventive power ranks with fluoride, even a remote possibility that they may affect patients' systemic health creates concern.