Preventive Dentistry: What Is It and Why Do You Need It?

Preventive dentistry in Scarborough, ON is the habit of caring for your teeth to keep them healthy. Caring for your teeth helps avoid cavities, enamel wear, periodontal disease, et cetera.

Preventive dentistry exists in different forms, including daily brushing and dental cleanings. To maintain excellent oral health, the Canadian Dental Association recommends visits to your dentist at regular intervals as determined by your dentist. Preventive practices help ensure your teeth are clean, white, and strong. Children must also receive education on excellent oral hygiene early to maintain their dental and overall health.

If you have yet to hear about preventive dental care, we recommend you continue reading and learning about the steps to keep your teeth healthy.

Essential Steps of Preventive Dentistry

• Daily Brushing: it is incredibly essential as a part of preventive dental care to brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste approved by the CDC. You must also replace your toothbrush every quarterly or when the bristles start fraying. Daily brushing doesn’t end the task of cleaning your teeth because your tongue also needs similar attention. You must brush your tongue to remove bacteria from your mouth to help freshen your breath.
• Flossing Everyday: Preventive dentistry also includes flossing daily to clean the tight spaces between your teeth where your toothbrush doesn’t reach. For example, you might have to use floss threaders if you have orthodontic braces to clean between the metal brackets. It is also essential to benefit most from flossing by learning the proper technique to achieve your goal. If you suspect you aren’t flossing correctly, request a flossing demonstration from your dentist because it helps you get the full benefit of using this tool.
• Dental Visits: You must visit preventive dentistry in Scarborough, ON, every six months for exams to identify problems in your teeth and gums. If you are prone to the risk of dental issues, you benefit from more frequent visits. However, if you are at low risk of dental problems, you might notice similar benefits from one visit to the dentist. Dental exams and cleanings enable dentists to identify problems with your teeth and gums to care for them immediately. If you possess dental insurance, the visits for preventive dentistry will not cost anything because most insurance providers cover two preventive dental visits every year.
• Have A Balanced Diet: your teeth need protection from nutrients which you can get by having a balanced diet. It helps to limit sugar intake by including simple carbohydrates and drinking sufficient water throughout the day. Vitamins are also essential for your oral health. You get all the vitamins you need to maintain a beautiful smile when you have a varied diet.

What Is the Role of Preventive Dentistry?

Preventive dentistry helps avoid dental problems later and strengthens your teeth and mouth by preventing cavities, enamel erosion, gingivitis, and periodontitis. In addition, when you obtain preventive dental treatment by following the practices in this article, you avoid needing reactive treatments for the situations described above. Therefore preventive care benefits you by helping you avoid reactive therapies.

Who Does Preventive Dentistry Benefit?

Preventive dentistry benefits everyone, including children, by enabling their newly developing teeth to emerge strong and healthy. Dental sealants and topical fluoride treatments help strengthen tooth enamel to prevent decay in children. In addition, aging adults benefit from preventive dentistry because it allows them to retain their natural teeth.

Your oral health is associated with your overall health because your mouth breeds harmful bacteria that can enter your bloodstream. Therefore when you keep your mouth clean, you help your overall health.

Preventive Dentistry Benefits

Maintaining excellent hygiene significantly reduces your risks of cavities, gingivitis and periodontitis, among other dental problems. The preventive measures, in turn, help reduce your risk of secondary issues emanating from poor dental hygiene. Health conditions associated with improper oral health include diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease, cancer, and osteoporosis.

Women not maintaining excellent oral health might become prone to premature birth and low birth weight, making it essential to adopt preventive health care regimens when pregnant. It includes visiting the Scarborough dentist for routine exams and cleanings during pregnancy.

Besides reducing your risk of other health problems practicing preventive dental care helps save money even if you possess dental insurance. The costs associated with improper dental hygiene gradually add up, making you susceptible to needing dental implants, fillings, root canals, et cetera. While preventive dentistry might not help avoid these treatments, they can significantly reduce your risks of needing them later.

Finch East Dental Care suggests preventive dental care for every patient visiting them, including the elderly and children. If you need more advice on preventive dental care practices consulting with this practice helps you improve your oral health and adds money to your savings account.