Checkups /Preventive Dentistry

What Is Preventive Dentistry?

Preventive dentistry is the practice of caring for your teeth to keep them healthy. This helps to avoid cavities, gum disease, enamel wear, and more.

Preventive dentistry is the modern way of helping you keep a healthy mouth. It helps you to keep your teeth, and means you need to have less dental treatment. The two main causes of tooth loss are decay and gum disease.

There are many forms of preventive dentistry, such as daily brushing and dental cleanings. To maintain optimal oral health, we recommend visits to the dentist at regular intervals determined by a dentist. These practices are designed to ensure that teeth are clean, strong, and white. Children should be taught proper oral hygiene at an early age.

Brush Your Teeth Daily

The most important part of preventive dentistry is to brush your teeth daily with a fluoride toothpaste. Most people should replace their toothbrushes three to four times per year or as the bristles start to lose their efficiency.

Don’t forget to brush your tongue. This will help remove bacteria from your mouth and also help freshen your breath.

Floss Daily

Daily flossing is also recommended. Flossing helps to clean out the tight spaces between the teeth. If you have braces, you may need to use floss threaders to get between the metal brackets.

To get the most benefit out of flossing, you’ll want to make sure you’re flossing in the correct way. At your next dental appointment, ask your dentist for a quick flossing demonstration to make sure you’re getting the full benefit from using this tool.

Visit your Dentist

You should see your dentist at least once per year for an exam to check for any problems in the teeth or gums. If you’re at a high risk for dental problems, you’ll likely benefit from more frequent dental visits. If you’re at a low risk for dental problems, you may see the same benefits from only one cleaning per year. Dental cleanings and exams allow dentists to identify problems and take care of them right away.

Eat a Balanced Diet

Eating a balanced diet also helps to protect your teeth by providing them with the nutrients they need. Limit your sugar intake, including simple carbohydrates like white bread, and drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Vitamins are important for oral health. Eating a varied diet will help you to get all of the vitamins you need to maintain a healthy smile.

What Does Preventive Dentistry Do?

Preventive dentistry prevents people from developing dental problems later on. If you use proper dental care, you can avoid or lessen the effects of these:

• Cavities
• Gingivitis
• Enamel loss
• Periodontitis

Who Benefits from Preventive Dentistry?

Everyone benefits from preventive dentistry. Children, in particular, benefit because it allows their newly developing adult teeth to come in strong and healthy. Dental sealants and topical fluoride treatments help prevent decay in your children’s teeth. If you’re an aging adult, you can benefit from preventive dentistry because it helps you to keep your real teeth.

Oral health is connected to the health of your body as a whole. This is because the mouth is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Maintaining a clean mouth benefits your overall health.

What Are the Benefits of Preventive Dentistry?

With good dental hygiene, you can greatly reduce your risk of getting cavities, gingivitis, periodontitis, and other dental problems. This, in turn, can reduce your risk of secondary problems caused by poor oral health. Some health problems that may be linked to poor oral health are:

• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Osteoporosis
• Respiratory disease
• Cancer

Premature birth and low birth weight may also be linked to poor oral health. You should continue to practice or adopt good preventive oral health if you’re pregnant. This includes visiting your dentist for routine checkups during your pregnancy.

In addition to reducing your risk for other health issues, practicing good preventive health can save you money. Even with dental insurance, the costs associated with poor oral hygiene can add up. While preventive dentistry may not completely eliminate your need for fillings, root canals, or dental implants, it can go a long way in reducing your need for these costly treatments.

What are common preventive dentistry services?

Preventive dentistry services may include:

• Regular oral exams, usually every 6 months
• Teeth cleaning
• Routine X-rays

What’s your role in preventive dental care?

Much of your preventive dental care starts with you. Developing healthy dental habits early in life can help reduce cavities, gum disease, and gingivitis. Here are the basics of good oral health:

• Brush your teeth at least 2 times a day—usually morning and night—using a soft bristled brush and a fluoride toothpaste. Your dentist can recommend the best toothbrush and toothpaste for you. They can also instruct you on how to properly brush.
• Floss daily to get food that’s stuck between teeth before it turns to plaque.
• Use a mouthwash to rinse out food particles after flossing.
• Avoid acidic foods that can harm tooth enamel.
• Be cautious with hard foods, like some candies, foods with bones, seeds, or pits that could damage or chip teeth.
• Don’t smoke or use tobacco products—these can lead to cancer and other dental problems.
• Use a mouth guard when participating in certain sports.
• If you grind your teeth at night, ask your dentist for a nighttime mouth guard to help reduce gum recession.

What type of dentist offers preventive dental care?

There are a lot of different types of dentists and dental specialties. Those that provide preventive dentistry include:

General dentist:This is your provider when you need routine preventive care like regular teeth cleanings, exams, and X-rays. They will also do fillings and provide other basic dental care. One of your general dentist’s key roles is guiding you in proper dental care for yourself. They can identify any potential problems before they become large, help you build healthier habits, and refer you to dental specialists if you need further care.

Pediatric dentist (children’s dentist): Pediatric dentists specialize in dental care for kids. Most kids will start out with dental care sometimes as soon as their first tooth appears. In many cases a pediatric dentist will continue to see children through their teen years. A pediatric dentist provides both preventive dentistry services as well as more specialized care when needed, including extractions, fillings, and oral surgery in some cases.

What is preventive dentistry for children?

As soon as a child gets their first tooth, preventive dental care can begin. Preventive dentistry for kids can help identify problems early on in your child’s life before dental problems become worse and often more costly. Services typically include the following:

• Promote good dental habits, including brushing and flossing, guidance on thumb sucking, as well as advice on eating habits that help improve dental health.
• Regular teeth cleanings and oral exams, usually every 6 months
• Fluoride application (usually up to a certain age)
• Sealants
• Routine X-rays to help track jaw and teeth development
• Fitting athletic mouth guards
• Referrals to orthodontists if teeth are crooked
• Referrals to other dental specialists as needed
• Helping identify related health issues that may impact a child’s dental/mental health