Preventive Dentistry: A Bit of Precaution is Worth a Pound of Cure

What is Preventive Dentistry?

If you are asking what is preventive dentistry and are keen to find the answers, visit us at Lutke Dental. Our dental team will let you in on the various dental protocols in preventive dentistry that help manage and sustain excellent oral health. Preventive dentistry in Plana concerns dental procedures that fight against dental cavities and other oral infections.

All the dental procedures in preventive dentistry work proactively. It means they lay out a strategy to protect the oral cavity from any potential oral problems that may develop over time. Besides, preventive dentistry ensures you do not bear the whole responsibility of keeping your teeth healthy. You can rely on a dentist near you for professional intervention.

How to Keep Your Teeth Healthy?

Keeping your teeth healthy is not a one-time thing. Dental health calls for consistency and diligence throughout your life. The stakes are higher because of the kind of activity occurring in the mouth and the conduciveness of the oral cavity for harmful bacteria to develop. Some of the dental protocols for keeping healthy teeth in preventive dentistry are:

Fluoride treatments – entail enriching teeth’ enamels with fluoride, a natural mineral that strengthens teeth. Fluoride also boosts teeth’ resistance to bacteria that cause dental cavities.

Dental sealants – are types of direct fillings that protect the chewing surfaces of molars from dental decay. Sealants create a protective layer on teeth, minimizing direct contact of foods, acids, and bacteria with teeth. Dental sealants are more effective for back teeth because they have pits and fissures that the sealant material can fill.

Dental cleanings – are professional sessions for brushing and flossing teeth periodically. Dental cleanings feature other dental protocols like root planing and scaling that remove plaque and tartar from teeth’ surfaces.

Dental exams – are routine evaluations that dentists conduct to examine the oral cavity. Dental exams allow dentists to detect anomalies in your mouth and conduct various tests for early diagnosis and treatment.

Nutrition counseling – choosing healthy foods should not just focus on your general health. Get insight into healthy foods for developing strong teeth. Preventive dental care allows dentists to offer nutritional value to patients regarding how to prepare healthy meal plans that favor their oral health.

Benefits of Preventive Dentistry

The best way to benefit from preventive dentistry is by comprehending how it influences your oral health. Some of the benefits of preventive dentistry are:

• Reduce the probability of restorative treatments in the future.
• Abandon bad oral habits like fingernail biting or teeth grinding. These oral habits significantly compromise teeth.
• Avoid permanent dental consequences after infections, including tooth loss.
• Minimize the risk of urgent dental problems.
• Identify other symptoms that may point to underlying health problems. For instance, a dentist can diagnose sleep apnea, diabetes, or hypertension during a routine dental exam.

Tips for Preventive Dentistry

If you want to excel in preventive dentistry, be intentional about proactivity. Any dental care measures that cater to your oral health proactively are crucial for effective preventive dentistry. Some tips are:

• Brush your teeth at least twice every day – use good fluoride toothpaste, strengthening your teeth while keeping them clean.
• Floss daily – flossing removes food residue between teeth, preventing the formation and buildup of plaque over time.
• Consider routine dental cleanings – allow your dentist in Plano to complement your oral hygiene efforts through a professional cleaning every six months.
• Drink a lot of water – hydrating is not just good for your body. Water helps in saliva production, better neutralizing acidity in the mouth. Besides, water flushes out toxins from the oral cavity and your body.
• Be selective on what you eat – anything you put in your mouth has direct contact with your teeth. Watching your food choices will significantly impact your oral health. Choose healthy meals that are also good for teeth, including calcium-rich foods, proteins, and vegetables.
• Minimize snacking in between meals – snacking inconveniences your oral health since you do not brush your teeth after every snack. Therefore, the snacks you eat have longer contact with your teeth, increasing the risk of acids damaging teeth’ enamels.