Preventive dentistry: Your first line of defense for a healthy smile

Preventive dentistry is the best way to keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright. You should brush and floss regularly, avoid foods that can cause tooth decay, and visit the dentist regularly. X-rays, dental exams, and professional fluoride treatments help ensure your teeth are as healthy as possible.

Taking Care of Your Teeth at Home

Everyday dental care is the most important component of successful preventive dentistry. Since childhood, we are told we should brush our teeth after every meal, floss once a day, avoid sugary foods and beverages, and drink milk to provide calcium for strong teeth and bones. These are more than just clichés—they’re pieces of an important foundation that can help you keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout your life.

In addition to avoiding sugary foods, you can take other measures to keep your teeth and gums healthy, including:

• Avoid foods high in acid, like sour candies and large quantities of citrus
• Don’t chew on ice, pens, or pencils
• Eat an overall healthy diet
• Visit your dentist regularly and report any unusual developments or symptoms

These guidelines can help you maintain excellent oral health throughout your life.

Why Are Dental Visits So Important?

Many people feel that if they take good care of their teeth on an everyday basis, they don’t need to visit the dentist. However, even the most diligent, everyday care can’t eliminate the need for regular examinations. Your dentist can help detect and diagnose many problems, many of which don’t produce symptoms, including:

• The beginning stages of decay
• Early stages of gum disease
• Signs of abnormal wear and tear
• Oral cancer

Your dentist has many tools available to him that you don’t, including X-rays, digital photography, and expert examination techniques. A dentist can often detect problems before they become serious and when they require much less complex and invasive treatments. Your dentist also supplies professional cleaning, which can remove tartar—something your toothbrush can’t effectively treat—and can provide fluoride treatments to prevent and in some cases even reverse decay.

Need a checkup? Call our office today!