Good dentists fix problems; great dentists prevent them from happening. Prevention is the key to attaining optimum oral and overall health. Preventive dentistry is mainly concerned with keeping your mouth and surrounding structures healthy for life with preventive measures like teeth cleaning, sealants and patient education. Preventive care also involves catching and treating dental problems in their early stages.
Studies have shown that gum disease, particularly its advanced form, periodontitis, is a contributing factor to heart disease. With preventive care, your risks for developing oral diseases, tooth decay and other serious health problems are significantly lowered.
Start Early
You can practice preventive care even before your child’s first teeth erupt. Gently clean the gums after each feeding with a soft cloth or gauze. Take your child to the dentist as soon as he or she turns one. Make sure that teenagers wearing braces clean their teeth regularly and properly.
Dental Care for Older Adults
Older adults missing all of their teeth should clean their mouth with a soft toothbrush, cotton, gum toothpastes, water and antibacterial mouthwash. Oral care is very important even for those without any teeth or teeth replacements. You are still susceptible to periodontal disease, denture stomatitis, mouth cancer and other conditions.
For everybody else, general maintenance is simple. Brush your teeth for two minutes at least twice a day if you can’t brush after every after meal. Floss at least once daily, and use antibacterial mouthwash to gargle. Visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and professional cleaning.
For optimum oral health, eat a balanced diet of mostly fruits and veggies, complex carbohydrates, low-fat milk products, lean meats and good fats. Limit snacking and sugar consumption, quit smoking, drink plenty of water, get enough rest and exercise regularly. Keep everything in balance, and you’ll be in top shape.
Solutions to Missing Teeth
If you are missing a tooth or several teeth, help is on the way. Your Santa Cruz implant dentist offers permanent and long-lasting solutions like dental implants, mini implants and teeth-in-an-hour. We also offer sedation dentistry for patients with dental anxiety. Call us today!
