Preventative Dentistry | Dental Care
Posted in Lips Care on March 12th, 2010 by Amanda – Be the first to commentProvide your car with regular maintenance, fill it with high quality fuel, fix problems before they get worse, and you will have a car that runs for years. The same can be said about your teeth. In the automobile business, those that do adhere to the manual’s recommendation are applying smart car ownership. In the dental industry, it’s called http://www.proudtosmile.com/general-dentistry.html”> Preventative Dentistry and that’s just as smart.
Like a car owner who works hand-in-hand with his mechanic, so will the dental patient work in concert with his or her dentist to maintain good oral health. Dentists can guide patients in how to care for and protect their teeth, but ultimately the patient must take personal responsibility and form good dental hygiene habits early to avert dental decay and periodontal disease.
A dentist will help instruct the patient in how to clean their teeth properly at each dental exam. And, when the dentist finds more plaque than normal, the patient will be instructed about the proper method of brushing. When the dentist sees excess tartar between teeth, the dentist or dental hygienist will encourage more flossing. All of this education and care instills the need for habits that leave us more confident that our teeth will last as long as our bodies.
During these regular dental exams, dentists may also suggest other dental restoration that can be performed by a cosmetic dentist to enhance your smile, like dental implants, orthodontics, and full mouth restoration.
Preventative Treatment Begins at Home
The march of tooth decay stops at home, because you are the first line of defense against cavities, gum disease and tooth loss. By following five simple steps, you can put your dentist in the driver’s seat to pinpoint obstacles that possibly line the roadway to a lifetime of good oral health. When these simple steps are followed, dental patients can enjoy healthy teeth and gums.
Brush twice a day
Floss often
Eat a well-balanced diet
Limit between meal snacks and especially those that contain sugar
See your dentist twice a year for teeth cleaning and dental exams
Preventative Dentistry Continues at the Dental Office
If you’ve maintained good oral habits in the six months since your last visit, the likelihood that your dentist discovers a problem will be lessened. However, your dentist will perform a number of evaluations to ensure that your next six months after your present dental exam will be pain-free and cavity-free. Your dentist will perform several evaluations to ascertain if problems have surfaced. Those steps include:
Evaluating X-rays for evidence of hidden cavities
Examining gums for evidence of receding gums and any gum disease
Checking for oral cancer evidence
Recommending procedures to correct any present dental problems