6 Roles You Should Play in Preventive Dentistry
Preventive dentistry refers to dental care that ensures optimal oral health. It combines regular checkups with good oral hygiene habits such as flossing and brushing. Your oral health greatly impacts your general health, which is why you should take care of your teeth throughout your lifetime.
Types of Preventive Dental Services
The most common preventive dental services offered at Dental Arts Clinic include:
- Dental exams
- Routine x-rays
- Tooth cleanings
Your Role in Preventive Dentistry
Preventive dentistry begins with you. Imparting acceptable oral hygiene practices into your child at an early age goes a long way to ensure they develop strong, healthy teeth. Taking good care of your teeth lower your risks of developing cavities, gingivitis, and gum disease. Want to keep your natural teeth even during old age? Here are some tips:
- Brushing
Dentists recommend brushing at least twice a day–in the morning and before bedtime. Ensure you use a soft-bristled brush that doesn’t hurt your gums and replace it at least thrice a year or when you notice signs of wear. Also, use fluoride toothpaste to keep cavities at bay. While at it, brush the tongue too. This organ harbors harmful mouth bacteria that could cause health complications were they to enter the mouth. A fresh tongue equals a fresh breath.
While it is a good practice to brush your teeth, doing so in the wrong manner won’t yield results. If you do not know the correct way to do it, ask your Cambridge dentist, who will be more than willing to demonstrate.
- Flossing
Do this at least once a day using gentle dental flossing. The flossing helps you maneuver tight spaces between your teeth and get rid of stuck food debris before it forms plaque. Those with braces will need floss threaders to access the areas between the metal brackets. For maximum benefits, floss in the correct manner.
- Regular Visits
It would be best if you went to the dentist’s office at least twice a year for dental exams and cleanings. During these exams, the dentist detects any signs of oral health problems and other issues and sends you to a doctor before they worsen. During these examinations, the dentist performs dental x-rays to examine better parts of your mouth and oral cancer screenings to detect early signs of oral cancer. During cleanings, tartar is removed through a process called teeth scaling. Tartar is plaque that has hardened, and only your dental hygienist can remove it during professional cleanings. Afterward, the tartar remains are removed using an electric brush, and your mouth is rinsed.
- Healthy Eating
A balanced diet plays a crucial role in ensuring your teeth are in good health. A diet with foods from all three food groups ensures your teeth have an unlimited supply of all the essential nutrients. It would also help if you limited your sugar consumption, including carbohydrates such as white bread. Also, ensure you drink a lot of water. By all chances, avoid chewy and acidic foods that could harm your tooth enamel.
- Quit Smoking
Smoking or using tobacco products increases your risk of developing cancer and several other dental issues. It also stains your teeth, giving them a yellow-like appearance.
- Use a Mouthguard
Those participating in contact sports should always ensure they have a mouthguard on to protect their teeth from impact. Also, people with bruxism should ask the dentist for customized nighttime mouthguards.
What Preventive Dentistry Does
The goal of preventive dentistry is to prevent dental problems from developing later on in your life. With proper dental care, these conditions can be avoided, or their effects lessened:
- Gingivitis
- Cavities
- Periodontitis
- Enamel loss
Who can benefit?
The benefits of preventive dentistry can be reaped by anyone from children to adults. Preventive care is particularly critical in kids as it enables their newly-emerging teeth to come out healthy and strong. Kids also benefit from fluoride treatments and sealants that keep their teeth cavity-free. For adults, preventive dental care helps you keep your natural teeth even when you’re aged.
Advantages of Preventive Dental Care
With good preventive dentistry in Cambridge, ON, your risk of developing gingivitis, periodontitis, cavities, and other oral health issues is reduced. Consequently, your chances of suffering from secondary problems that result from poor dental health are also lowered. Here are some health conditions connected to poor oral health:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Respiratory disease
- Osteoporosis
Because low birth weight and premature birth are associated with poor oral health, pregnant mothers should continue with their dentist visits and practice good oral hygiene at home.