Oral hygiene & dental care should be taken seriously. Everyone, regardless of age, should see a dentist at least once in six months. Infants should have their first appointment by the age of one. As the name suggests, preventative dentistry is all about preventing dental problems and gum diseases in the first place. It is a part of general dentistry, and most clinics do offer this as a part of their services. The other two branches of dentistry are restorative and cosmetic dentistry. In this post, we are sharing an overview of preventative dentistry.
Dental checkups and screenings
Regular checkup and screening appointments with your dentist can help in finding and fixing dental issues at the onset, if at all. Make sure that you go for scheduled checkups at least once in a year, while children must see the dentist every six months.
Dental Cleanings
Food residue in the mouth can lead to plaque formation and eventually tartar buildup, which can lead to gum diseases, tooth decay and even tooth loss. Professional dental cleaning done by a dental hygienist can get rid of both plaque and tartar, and you will see a visible difference in tooth color. There are cleaning kits that can be used at home, but in-clinic dental cleaning is required at least once a year. If the tartar buildup is extreme, you may need frequent sessions, and you can expect a typical dental cleaning session to last for about an hour.
Oral care at home
In all likeliness, your dentist will recommend steps for practicing preventative dentistry at home. You can use special toothpastes and mouthwashes and replace your standard brush with an electronic one. Make sure that you wash your mouth after every meal and use a mouthwash on a regular basis. If you have issues like cavity, your dentist can suggest special products that can prevent further problems.
Why does preventative dentistry matter?
Dental treatments can be expensive, painful and uncomfortable, and most of the tooth & gum diseases can be avoided in the first place with preventative dentistry. Paying for that regular screening once in six months is always better than paying for extensive treatments. Most people have some fear or the other about tools used by dentists, but you don’t have to worry about these at all if you are careful and cautious about practicing preventative dentistry.
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