The Five Most Common Examples of Preventive Care for Teeth
The habit of caring for your teeth to keep them healthy is called preventive dentistry. The routine helps avoid cavities, gum disease, enamel erosion, et cetera. Smile Craft Dental recommends you follow various forms of preventive dentistry like everyday brushing and getting dental prophylaxis. In addition, the American Dental Association recommends visits to dentists at regular intervals determined by them. The habits are tailored to ensure your teeth are clean, strong, and pearly white. Children also need education about proper oral hygiene at an early age.
If you wish to learn more about the habits you must practice to keep your teeth healthy; please continue reading this article providing you five examples beneficial for you.
What Is Preventive Dentistry?
Preventive dentistry is the practice of preventing dental problems from developing later. Proper dental care helps you avoid or lessen the effects of cavities, enamel loss, gingivitis, and periodontal disease.
Why Is Preventive Dentistry Important?
Preventive dentistry is important because it helps everyone regardless of their age. Children particularly benefit the most because it helps their newly emerging permanent teeth to develop solid and healthy. In addition, children receive help from dental sealants and topical fluoride treatments that help prevent tooth decay in their teeth. Aging adults profit from preventive dentistry because it aids them in retaining their natural teeth. Oral health is affiliated with your overall health. It is because your mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria, most of which are harmless. However, if you don’t maintain your oral hygiene in appropriate condition, it impacts your overall health.
Examples of Preventive Care
- Brushing Every Day
The vital significance of preventive dentistry is to clean your teeth every day using fluoride toothpaste validated by the American Dental Association. In addition, you must take care to replace your toothbrush every three to four months or when you notice the bristles fraying. Finally, when brushing your teeth, do not forget to brush your tongue because it helps remove bacteria from the mouth and freshen your breath.
- Flossing Daily
Flossing daily is a recommendation of preventive dentistry in Flower Mound, TX, at any time of the day or night. Whether you floss before or after brushing doesn’t matter so long as you do it using the correct technique. Flossing helps clean between the tight spaces of the teeth. If you have braces, you may require floss threaders to clean between the brackets. If you suspect you aren’t using the proper technique, request the dentist to give you a flossing demonstration during your next visit. The demonstration helps you achieve the full benefit from using this fantastic tool.
- Dental Visits
You must schedule dental visits once every six months to identify any problems between your teeth and gums. If you are at high risk of dental issues, you benefit from more frequent visits. Fortunately, if the reverse is true, you may derive similar benefits from one visit a year. Dental visits for exams and cleanings enable dentists to identify issues with your teeth to treat them promptly. Dental visits shouldn’t concern you if you possess dental insurance because they cover two preventive dental visits every year.
- Eating a Balanced Diet
Your teeth need protection from nutrients which you can provide by having a balanced diet. To achieve your goal, you must limit your sugar intake, include straightforward carbohydrates like white bread and drink plenty of water throughout the day. Your oral health also benefits from the vitamins you receive when you have a varied diet helping you maintain a healthy smile.
- Benefits of Preventive Dentistry
Preventive dental care ensures you significantly reduce your risk of getting cavities, gum disease, and other dental problems, which in turn reduces your risk of secondary conditions caused by poor oral health. Some health problems affiliated with poor oral health combine diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, cancer, and respiratory disease.
Preventive dentistry procedures also prevent low birth weight and premature birth, which researchers believe are also associated with poor oral health. They recommend women must continue practicing preventive oral health during pregnancy, including visits to the dentist routine checkups.
Besides reducing your risks of other health issues, preventive dentistry also saves you money even if you possess dental insurance. You may require dental fillings, root canals, and dental implants even after practicing preventive dentistry. However, the practices can significantly help in reducing the need for these costly treatments.
These five examples of preventive dentistry should convince you to follow them for the benefits they offer and keep you away from scheduling frequent appointments with your dentist for treatments other than routine checkups.