We generally visit the dentist only when we suffer from toothache or cavities, don’t we? However, the problem is that cavities, much like any health issue, do not happen overnight. It is a gradual build-up that only gets worse unless taken care of in time. Unfortunately, we realize this only when the more expensive and time-consuming treatments become the only solution. It is because of this that preventive dentistry has emerged. Let us begin by understanding what it is.
Why is maintaining good oral health necessary?
Much in line with the popular saying, prevention is better than cure, preventive dental care generally refers to what you do to keep your teeth healthy and strong.
If you are wondering why this is important, you need to realize that the quality of your oral health care also affects your general health.
What is preventive dentistry?
As is evident from the term itself, preventive dentistry is what you do to maintain good oral health.
Generally speaking, it involves a combination of maintaining good oral health and is about regular dental check-ups.
We encourage our young kids to take good care of their dental health along with the rest of their health. But we often forget to do the same ourselves. We need to remember that good oral habits extend throughout our lives.
To take the best care of our oral health, preventive dentistry becomes vital.
The typical services provided under preventive dentistry
Preventive dentistry generally is much more specific than we usually imagine it to be.
These can be as the following:
- Regular oral examinations at fixed intervals
- Teeth cleaning
- Routine dental X-rays that determine the quality of your dental health
Your dentist will recommend preventive procedures to undergo as per your current oral and dental health.
Good oral habits: What are they?
Preventive dentistry is not about dental services but also about some critical, good oral health habits, which are as follows.
- Brushing properly
Brush your teeth at least 2 times a day. It can usually be in the morning and evening. You must use fluoride toothpaste or gel, which should be applied with an electric bristled brush (to get into hard-to-reach places). If you have any questions about how best to accomplish this, ask your dentist!
- Floss daily
If you want to keep your teeth clean, floss daily! It’s the best way of getting rid of any food that may be stuck between them before it turns into plaque.
- Use a mouthwash regularly after flossing
You can also use a mouthwash after flossing to rinse out any food particles that may be leftover.
- Prevent excessive consumption of acidic food
Along with the rest of your health, your oral health too gets adversely affected by acidic food. So, it makes perfect sense to avoid such food. By doing this, you can ensure that your entire body is protected from damage caused by acidic food.
- Be cautious while consuming certain types of food.
Sugar rich foods like candy can remain in the mouth for a long time. They also damage the teeth enamel and other parts of the teeth. In the long run, it can damage the health of your teeth. Thus, you need to avoid such foods that are sweet and sticky.
- Avoid smoking and using other tobacco-related products
Smoking regularly adversely affects not only general health but also oral health. The colour of your teeth deteriorates. The breath also begins to smell bad. Smoking is a known factor for gum diseases as well.
- Treat teeth-grinding
If you have a habit of grinding your teeth at night, visit the dentist and have them checked. They might recommend the use of a night-time mouthguard.
Preventive dentistry for children
The best way to keep your child from having dental problems is by getting them preventive care as soon as teeth come in. The earlier you can find out, the less severe and costly it will be for their future visits. So, it makes sense to consider preventive dentistry for your kid as soon as possible.
The benefits of preventive dentistry
Apart from the above, here are some other benefits of preventive dentistry.
- It helps to prevent general dental problems
The longer you wait to get your teeth checked, the more serious the dental problems are likely to get. You can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease by ensuring you have dental cleaning on schedule once every six months at a minimum!
- Helps to minimize dental treatment costs
Dental treatment can get expensive. However, you can minimize the dental treatment cost significantly with preventive dentistry. Identifying dental problems early could help you avoid more costly treatments. These include examining your mouth and jawline for any issues that may be related, as well as taking x-rays or performing other examinations to rule out diseases before they’ve gotten too bad.
These are services that enable the dentist to perform a full check up on all parts associated with teeth (including neck), which will allow them to identify if there’s something wrong earlier than usual and thus reduce costs significantly.
- Aids in preventing people suffering from chronic health problems
Dental care is an essential element of whole-person health. The mouth and teeth are integral to our well-being, as they help us eat properly. It also helps us protect ourselves from illness with immune system support inside them (osteoporosis).
To avoid life-threatening conditions such as diabetes or cancer-promoting good dental hygiene at home through regular preventive check-ups are essential. As already mentioned earlier, dental cleaning every six months is necessary even for people who do not yet have any specific dental issues. This is the whole point of preventive dentistry.
To sum up, we can say that preventive dentistry is a vital part of maintaining good oral health, which also helps to maintain good overall health.
If you have not been paying much attention to your dental health, maybe it is time to drop in at your dentist’s for a quick check-up.
