Preventive Dental Care
What exactly is Preventive Dental Care? Essentially, this term includes measures taken by a dental patient to prevent oral diseases and to maintain their healthy smile for a lifetime. The preventative actions include the patient’s twice daily brushing and flossing, maintaining a healthy diet, and, of course, scheduling your regular whole mouth exams and professional cleanings.
What are the benefits of preventive dentistry?
Research has now connected oral health with your overall health. The bacteria which are associated with gingival inflammation and periodontal disease have been linked to serious health conditions such as:
- Cardiovascular disease and Endocarditis
- Bacterial pneumonia
- Pregnancy complications such as premature birth and low birthweight
Preventive dentistry reduces your risk for more intensive treatment overtime for the following conditions:
- Abnormal tooth wear
- Gum disease
- Losing teeth
- Receding gums
- Tooth decay and sensitivity
- Other oral health conditions
It is best to start children off with good oral health habits from a young age. They should be encouraged to brush and floss after meals or at least twice per day. Prevention is best when started early but benefits people of every age.
The following dental services are part of the Preventive Dentistry regimen:
- Diagnostic services such as routine check-ups and X-rays
- Fluoride treatments, especially for children
- Oral Cancer screening
- Professional cleanings
- Sealants to prevent decay inside the pits and grooves that naturally occur in teeth
- Space maintainers for children
- Teaching proper brushing and flossing to all ages
- Teaching nutrition: what foods are tooth friendly and what to avoid.
- Mouth guards for sports
- Bite guards for grinding and clenching
These types of services allow your dentist to monitor your oral health, promote healthy habits, prevent new disease through a variety of treatment services, and catch signs of oral health problems early.
Preventative Dentistry services prevent fillings, root canal therapy, periodontal treatments, orthodontics, or tooth extractions.
Wise Ben Franklin said an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Preventive dentistry services should not be ignored. For every $1.00 spent on prevention in oral care, you can save $8-$50 on restorative and emergency procedures.
Not sure what your smile needs? Give us a call, come on in for a consultation and learn how you can lay back and enjoy a visit to the dentist. Dr. Lee Lichtenstein and his highly trained staff offer general dentistry services as well as dental treatments that can be performed using sedation dentistry and general anesthesia techniques to make patients’ experiences more pleasant and comfortable.