Preventative Dental Care

Keeping Your Smile Healthy Starts Here

Taking good care of your teeth involves more than just brushing and flossing at home. It's just as important to visit your dentist at least every six months for a regular checkup and professional cleaning. Preventative dental care helps keep your teeth healthy and includes routine oral exams, X-rays, professional cleanings, sealants, and fluoride treatments. These practices are designed to ensure that your teeth stay clean, strong, and healthy.

With good oral hygiene and regular preventive visits, you can greatly reduce your risk of getting cavities, gingivitis, gum disease, and other dental problems.

While preventative dental care is important for everyone, it's especially important for young children. Children need to develop good dental habits at an early age to help maintain clean, strong, and healthy teeth as they mature.

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When To Seek Preventative Care

Even if you don't have any symptoms, regular visits are important for preventing many problems from getting worse.

Seek preventative dental care if you are experiencing:

• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• Swollen gums
• Bleeding gums
• Pain or swelling in your mouth, face, or neck
• Sores in your mouth that won't heal
• Bad breath
• Pain when you drink or eat something

The only way to determine if you need treatment for any of these issues is by making an appointment with your dentist. We can give you a routine oral exam, review your symptoms, make an accurate diagnosis, and create a treatment plan.

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Common Types of Preventative Care

Preventative dental care starts with you. Here are the basics of good oral health:

• Brush your teeth at least 2 times a day—we can recommend the best toothbrush and toothpaste for you
• Floss daily
• Use a mouthwash
• Avoid acidic foods that can harm tooth enamel
• Be cautious with hard foods, like some candies, foods with bones, seeds, or pits
• Don't smoke or use tobacco products
• Use a mouth guard when participating in sports
• If you grind your teeth at night, talk to us about a mouth guard

The dental exam itself is a form of preventative care, since the purpose of the appointment is to detect the potential for dental decay. Once the exam is done, and after reviewing any X-rays, we can recommend that you have your teeth cleaned, which helps prevent cavities and gum disease.

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What To Expect During Your Visit

Professional Teeth Cleaning: A dental hygienist or dentist will scrape along and below the gumline to remove built-up plaque and tartar. Then we'll polish and floss your teeth.

Dental Examination: We'll look for signs of disease or other problems with your teeth, gums, and mouth.

X-Rays: X-rays help us see weakened spots in the teeth, wisdom teeth, the alignment of your teeth, and the general health of your smile.

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Schedule Your Preventative Care Appointment

Be sure to schedule a preventative care appointment and professional cleaning twice a year for your healthiest smile. We're here to help you and your family maintain strong, healthy teeth for life.