Preventive dentistry is all about maintaining good oral health. Maintaining good oral health helps to avoid cavities, gum disease, enamel wear, and more. Preventive dentistry is a vital part of our mission statement:
"Our wish for you, your children, and your family is to achieve the goal of never needing dental work in the future. Our purpose comes from the derivation of the word "doctor." It comes from the Latin word "docere," which means "to show, teach, or teach to know." We help achieve this goal of "teaching" with hygiene visits twice a year... a goal that can eliminate gum disease and future dental work for a lifetime. This goal is our sincerest wish for you, your children & family."
What Does Preventive Dentistry Include?
1. Oral Exams
Regular dental oral exams can prevent major dental work by catching problems in their early stages. When we do an oral exam, we:
Evaluate your overall health and oral hygiene.
Look for signs of tooth decay, root decay, and gum or bone disease.
Evaluate your need for tooth restoration or replacement.
Check your bite and jaw for problems.
2. X-rays
X-rays do more than help us find cavities that may not be obvious from a visual examination. They show us what is going on below the gum surface. For example, with x-rays, we can examine the health of the roots of your teeth. We can see whether your teeth are securely anchored in your mouth. X-rays can reveal bone loss, which is a red flag for serious periodontal disease. Catching this early may save some or all of your teeth.
3. Cleanings
The main reason we do dental cleanings is to prevent gum disease. When we do cleanings, we remove plaque that builds up on your teeth and is the leading cause of gum disease and tooth decay.
4. Sealants
Dental sealants are thin coatings that a dentist paints on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. The purpose is to prevent tooth decay for many years. According to the CDC, sealants protect against 80% of cavities for two years. They can protect against 50% of cavities for up to 4 years
5. Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by making the tooth more resistant to tooth decay. It also helps with tooth sensitivity. In our dental office, we apply fluoride to the teeth as a gel or varnish. These treatments have a much higher level of fluoride than the amount found in toothpaste and mouth rinses.
6. Perio Protect
Perio Protect is a minimally invasive, highly effective method of treating gum disease. It is a prescription treatment that you can apply in the comfort of your own home. For more information on Perio Protect, read our article titled "New Product to Help Battle Gum Disease!"
Preventive Dentistry at Home
Nothing replaces the technical and precision care you get from your dentist. After all, this is why your dentist spends an additional 4 years in dental school to become a dentist. However, there is a lot you can do at home to prevent dental problems. The most important ones are:
Flossing
Brush, brush, brush!
Educate Your Children at an Early Age
When children first start getting their primary teeth is the proper age to begin teaching oral hygiene to them. It will help protect their primary teeth until their permanent teeth come in (around age six). But also, it will set the stage for good dental care for their life. Please read our article called "National Children's Dental Health Month" for more information on caring for a child's teeth.
Final Words
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, our mission is to eliminate gum disease and major dental work, so you have a healthy mouth now and into the future. We do everything possible to achieve this goal for you and your family. Contact us now to schedule your next exam and cleaning.
Sincerely,
Dr. Nahid Afshari Fair Oaks Quality Dental Fair Oaks, California
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