Prevention is better than the actual cure, and that has never been more true than in the case of your oral health. Practicing and incorporating preventive dental care is essential in order to keep your smile healthy. Early signs of decay are invisible to the naked eye. Just because you don’t notice any visible signs of cavities does not mean they do not exist.
Preventive dentistry is essentially dental care that helps keep your oral health in good condition. Through a combination of regular dental checkups and practicing an effective oral hygiene routine, you can keep the cavities at bay and smile away!
By shedding more light on what dental preventive care is and how it can benefit you, we hope to make you more knowledgeable about your oral health and help you steer clear of dental problems.
Let’s begin!
Table of Contents
5 Reasons Why Preventive Dental Care is Important
Visiting a dentist and incorporating good oral healthcare habits into your daily routine can save you a lot of grief and heartache.
Preventive dental care offers multiple benefits. If you are someone who has not yet considered going for regular preventive care dental checkups, here are a few reasons that can motivate you.
Monitors Your Teeth & Gums
Your teeth and gums are moist areas that are prone to infection and bacteria infestation. Most people think daily brushing and flossing daily is enough to keep their mouth healthy. But that is not the case.
As much as flossing and brushing your teeth is an integral part of oral hygiene, it is also true that you need to do regular check-ins with the dentist so that they can monitor your teeth and gums and catch any problems beforehand.
Prevents Tooth Loss & Damage
Consistent dental preventive care can help reduce the risk of tooth loss and damage. Brushing your teeth at least twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily can prevent cavities and gum diseases.
Reduces the Risk of Oral Diseases
Regular preventive dental care helps lower the risk of oral diseases, keeping your mouth strong and healthy for a long time. Health issues such as gum disease, chipped teeth, cavities, and discolored teeth can be avoided by practicing preventive care and scheduling regular checkups with the dentist.
Saves Money
A lot of people avoid going to the dentist because they think it’s too costly. What they fail to understand is that the cost of not going to the dentist can be much higher if the patient develops a condition that could have been avoided through preventive dental care.
Visiting a dentist for regular oral checkups can help catch multiple problems early on, preventing you from shelling out your hard-earned cash on a tooth extraction or tooth replacement procedure in the future.
Keeps Your Smile Healthy
If you are someone who takes a lot of pride in your gleaming white smile, then know this – preventive dental care is the key to maintaining an attractive and healthy smile.
Brushing your teeth and flossing regularly can keep your teeth free from plaque buildup. Regular check-ins with the dentist for professional cleanings can eliminate any leftover plaque or tartar deposits. Preventive dental care reduces the risk of suffering from discolored teeth as the surface stains are removed regularly.
Treatments Offered in Preventive Dental Care
Some common treatments offered in preventive dentistry include:
Routine teeth cleanings: To eliminate tartar and plaque deposits you might have missed while flossing and brushing.
Comprehensive oral exams: To monitor your oral cavity and the underlying bone structure and to detect any problems beforehand.
Dental sealants: An invisible plastic coating, usually placed on the back of your molars, to protect them from bacterial infections and food particles.
Fluoride treatment: Where your teeth are fortified by mineralization to interrupt acid attacks by bacteria and prevent tooth decay.
Home care education: Where your dentist informs you how to practice primary preventive dental care at home to ensure optimal oral hygiene.
5 Simple Tips to Practice Preventive Dental Care Yourself
Cleaning your teeth can be quite a mystery. Have you gotten into all the crevices? Should you be eating that sugary donut? Are you drinking enough water to keep your mouth moist?
Too many things to remember and not enough time to practice!
Lucky for you, we have made a list of five simple tips you can follow to practice basic dental preventive care in the comfort of your own home.
Use a Proper Cleaning Technique
Follow proper oral cleaning techniques to keep your smile healthy. Brushing your teeth with the right technique ensures that you are able to remove all food particles that can otherwise cause lasting damage.
Live a Healthy Lifestyle
Try to keep away from or limit your intake of sugary foods and drinks. Brush once in the morning and then again at night, and make sure to include flossing in your oral hygiene routine. Steer clear from harmful substances such as tobacco and alcohol. Drink lots of water and consume nutrient-rich foods.
Choose Treatments Carefully
Choosing cosmetic dentistry has become a popular option for people to fix the imperfections in their smiles. However, it is vital to bear in mind that these cosmetic treatments can leave a lasting effect on your teeth if you are not too careful. Be careful when choosing cosmetic dental treatments, and always listen to your dentist’s recommendations.
Use Proper Tools
Brushing and flossing are two of the best ways to prevent your mouth from getting affected by oral problems. Therefore, it is crucial to choose the right tools for cleaning.
Do your research and choose a brush that best suits your oral cavity. Opt for a water flosser if you find flossing with thread incredibly tedious. It is much easier to get the job done right if it becomes easier, which the right toothbrush and flosser can do for you.
Schedule Regular Check-Ups & Cleanings
Last but not least, make sure to schedule regular checkups with your dentist, who can help guide you in your journey to dental preventive care. Oral exams, routine cleanings, and other preventive dentistry measures can help catch oral problems before they arise or become worse.
Dental Preventive Care – The Main Goal
As mentioned earlier, preventive dentistry is all about maintaining your oral health. The main goal is to care for your teeth and mouth in a way that can ward off future problems. Practicing dental preventive care greatly reduces the risk of oral cavity issues such as gum disease, tooth decay, severe loss of tooth enamel, and periodontitis.
It is important to note that preventive dental care should be an integral part of your life, regardless of age. It can help children instill good oral habits in their lifestyle. Poor oral health has been linked to multiple health problems, such as cancer, respiratory disease, heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. A reduced chance of dental problems also positively affects your overall general health.
Bottomline
Having a good plan in place for dental preventive care can allow you to take much better care of your oral health. Practicing preventive dentistry is the only way to ensure all your bases are covered. It is the best chance you can give your teeth to survive and stay healthy long-term. Remember, preventive dentistry is not just about what your dentist can do for you but also about what you practice at home.
If you are in the Anoka, MN area and wish to learn and find out more about dental preventive care to keep your smile healthy, you can contact Anoka Dental for more information.
Get in touch today by calling 763-421-4002 or visiting us in person at 12 Bridge Square, #106 Anoka, MN 55303.
