Preventive Dental Care
Routine preventative care services
Keeping Your Smile Healthy With Routine Care
Caring for your smile is an ongoing process, which is why the most important dental hygiene tip is to brush your teeth twice and floss at least once every single day. That’s also why keeping your smile healthy and avoiding common dental issues (like tooth decay and gum disease) requires visiting your dentist on a regular basis for routine preventive care. After the age of three years old, everyone should attend a preventive exam and cleaning at least once every six months, even when their smiles are in optimal health. This routine serves as a baseline for fighting to reduce and remove harmful plaque and tartar and noting any changes that might indicate a need for further dental treatment.
Routine Checkups and Cleanings
General dentistry, a crucial component of preventative dental care, offers various services, with checkups and cleanings being the most frequent. These services are foundational to preventative dental care, aiming to prevent or lessen issues affecting your smile’s health and integrity. Regular checkups and cleanings are vital in this preventive approach, as they effectively remove tartar and harmful oral bacteria that are difficult to eliminate at home. Should your exam indicate the onset of gum disease, tooth decay, or other dental concerns, your dentist will engage in a preventative dental care strategy, discussing with you the next steps to safeguard your smile.
What Preventive Dental Care Includes
Apart from the standard checkups and cleanings, the scope of preventative dental care extends to more targeted methods for addressing specific dental concerns. This aspect of preventative dental care is particularly beneficial for children at increased risk of tooth decay, who may gain from fluoride treatments that fortify tooth enamel. Additionally, dental sealants, which are biocompatible acrylic layers that prevent food debris and bacteria accumulation on teeth, align with the goals of preventative dental care. Detecting oral health issues, such as cavities and gum disease, in their initial stages allows for effective preventive treatment, a cornerstone of preventative dental care, to prevent these conditions from worsening.