Can Preventive Dentistry Help Prevent Oral Health Issues?

You should protect your mouth against injuries and disease like any other body part. While it might look minor, a problem in your mouth can affect your mental, physical, and social life. Fortunately, preventive dentistry allows you to care for your mouth and prevent potential oral issues such as gum disease, oral thrush, tooth decay, and tooth loss.

It also protects you from mental and physical illnesses such as brain disorders, depression, self-doubt, heart disease, diabetes, and lung infections. In this article, let’s learn what preventive dentistry entails and how it protects your oral and overall health.

What is preventive dentistry?

Preventive dentistry is a branch of dentistry designed to keep your teeth, gums, and smile healthy, functional, and beautiful. Preserving your oral health eliminates the need for invasive and complex treatments such as root canals, dental crowns, and dental implants, saving you thousands of dollars in the long run.

How Preventive Dentistry Protects Your Oral Health

Preventive dental care incorporates various techniques and procedures to prevent oral issues and ensure a lifetime of a healthy smile. These include:

• • Daily brushing and flossing

Preventive dentistry begins at home with you. Brushing at least twice daily will help remove food debris and bacteria trapped in the mouth. Flossing at least once daily also helps to remove tiny food particles trapped between teeth that you can’t reach with a toothbrush.

If you don’t brush and floss, leftover food particles and other debris mix with the harmful bacteria in the mouth to form bacterial plaque and tartar. Over time, these deposits release harmful acids on teeth, eroding them and causing cavities and tooth decay. These chemicals also irritate and inflame the gum tissues, leading to gum disease.

Brushing and flossing daily will prevent the build-up of bacterial plaque and tartar, protecting you from oral issues like cavities, gum disease, tooth discoloration, and bad breath.

• • Routine dental check-ups and cleanings

Dental experts recommend visiting your dentist twice yearly, even without an existing oral problem. There are many benefits of having routine dental check-ups and cleanings.

For instance, the dentist cleans your teeth and mouth, removing any bacterial plaque and tartar that could potentially cause teeth decay and gum disease.

Similarly, the dentist also takes X-rays and inspects your teeth, gums, jawbone, and mouth for early signs of cavities, gingivitis, oral cancer, and much more. Most of these issues are easy and relatively inexpensive to correct when caught early.

In children, our Easton dentist will monitor their oral development and correct potential issues that could cause future problems. For instance, if a baby tooth doesn’t fall out on time, the dentist can remove it to pave the way for the permanent tooth to emerge.

If a baby’s tooth falls too soon, the dentist can use space maintainers to maintain bite alignment. Such actions can help prevent overcrowding and misalignments in the future. Consequently, it helps save time, energy, and money that would correct these issues in the future.

• • Dental sealants

The molars and premolars have tiny pits and grooves that aid in chewing and grinding food. Unfortunately, food particles can get trapped on these surfaces, which are hard to clean, leading to bacterial plaque and tartar build-up. It increases your risk of cavities and tooth decay.

A sealant is a thin coating applied on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth to seal the tiny pits and grooves. It makes it difficult for food particles and bacteria to get trapped in these areas, preventing cavities. Smoother surfaces are also easier to clean.

• • Fluoride treatments

Fluoride treatments involve applying fluoride gels to teeth. It helps remineralize and strengthen teeth, making them more resistant to cavities, decay, acids, and damage. The dentist can also recommend using fluoride toothpaste.

• • Enameloplasty

While not common, sometimes a dentist can recommend reshaping your tooth’s enamel to correct the tooth’s shape, size, and minor damages like chips. Smoothening your tooth can improve your hygiene and give you a beautiful smile.

• • Deep Cleaning

The dentist can recommend a deep cleaning procedure if you haven’t had a dental cleaning recently or have significant bacterial plaque and tartar. The procedure entails removing plaque and tartar from teeth and around the gums. The dentist can also smoothen the tooth roots to prevent gum recession.

• • Proper diet

Diet also plays a significant role in your oral health. Eating a healthy and balanced diet rich in essential minerals and vitamins like calcium, phosphorus, fluoride, vitamin C, and vitamin D can help maintain healthy teeth and gums. Be sure to limit foods and drinks high in sugars and acids, as they can encourage enamel erosion and tooth decay.

Schedule an Appointment Today

Ready to begin your preventive dentistry in Easton, PA? Contact Maple Tree Dental for more information.