Taking care of your teeth isn’t all about having them looked at by a dentist once a toothache or other problem has presented itself. Preventive dental care is even more important.
Preventive dental care includes things like having a regular check-up, even if you’re not experiencing any problems. Another example of preventive dental work is cleaning your teeth so the plaque is removed. Even having a panoramic X-ray of your teeth can be a preventive measure for ongoing dental health.
General dental care and preventive dental care come under general dentistry services, which are provided by just about all dental clinics. Let’s take a look at some advantages of preventive dentistry care.
1 – Detect Potential Problems Early
One obvious and most important advantage of preventive dentistry is that teeth issues can be detected early. For example, your dentist might notice a small amount of decay developing on one of the molars during a routine check-up. This decay can then be removed and the tooth filled before any pain and discomfort can occur.
Arresting a problem before it has a chance to cause any major damage is always better than treating a dental issue that has been let go for far too long.
2 – Preventive Dentistry Can Save Your Teeth
When a tooth has decayed to the point where you’re suffering from an unbearable toothache, sometimes that tooth is too far gone to be saved and may need to be extracted. Your teeth have to last a very long time, and the more teeth you lose to extractions, the more problems you’ll experience in effectively chewing your food.
Gaps in the teeth due to extractions can be unsightly if they are in a prominent location, and when you have teeth removed, it can even slightly alter the shape of your face.
Preventive dentistry measures will help ensure that any decay problems are arrested early so that the tooth can be saved and remain healthy for many years to come.
3 – Gum Disease Can Be Prevented
Having regular check-ups with your dentist and following their specialist advice for caring for your teeth can help prevent you from developing gum disease. Having your teeth professionally cleaned periodically will also lead to maintaining healthier gums.
For example, periodontitis can be a serious gum condition that can even result in the loss of one or more teeth, so that’s definitely one you’ll want to avoid at all costs. It damages the soft tissue and can destroy the bone that supports the teeth.
Gingivitis is rather common gum disease and is the mildest form of periodontal disease. Gingivitis presents red and swollen gums that tend to bleed, especially after brushing your teeth.
Your dentist can treat your teeth and gums and also advise you on the best forms of oral hygiene to prevent the onset of gum disease. Malnutrition and not eating a healthy diet can also contribute to gum disease and poor dental health.
4 – Poor Oral Hygiene Can Lead To Serious Health Problems
Many people don’t realise just how important your teeth and gum health can be to the rest of your body. Here are some of the diseases and health conditions that have been linked to poor oral hygiene:
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Respiratory disease
- Osteoporosis
- Premature birth and low birth weight
The reason is that when you have issues with your teeth, this can lead to bacteria growth which can then enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body.
Look after your teeth and your body’s health by visiting your dentist regularly for a routine check-up.
5 – Preventive Dentistry Can Save You Time and Money
Booking in for a regular check-up with your dentist or having a minor filling put into a tooth is a lot less expensive and time-consuming than booking in for multiple sessions of the root canal, for example. Most people don’t look forward to a trip to the dentist, but undergoing some minor preventive treatment is a lot less daunting than some alternatives.
Preventive dentistry results in less time spent in the dentist’s chair and less money extracted from your wallet or purse.
6 – Enhance Your Smile
Preventive dentistry and teeth cleaning will enhance your all-important smile. While teeth perform practical functions, one of the greatest concerns of just about everyone is feeling confident about the appearance of their teeth and having a bright and white smile.
The Takeaway
Visit your dentist regularly and prevent major teeth and gum issues. Also, learn more about improving your oral hygiene at home and looking after your precious teeth every day of the year.
