As the name suggests, the goal of preventive dentistry is to prevent oral health issues from emerging. These issues include tooth decay, gum disease, and other complications to oral health. Our dentists in Ann Arbor, MI, would be more than happy to help you maintain a healthy smile for a lifetime. But first, you’ll need to schedule an appointment with Enhance Family Dentistry & Orthodontics.
In the meantime, here’s what you need to know about preventive dental care.
It’s important to remember that your oral hygiene affects the rest of your body. For example, people with diabetes often have a higher risk of developing gum disease because they have a low resistance to infection. This is one of many examples of how oral health affects more than just your mouth.
Preventive dentistry will also help decrease the likelihood of you needing emergency dental care.
Everyone can benefit from preventive dentistry. By taking care of your oral health, you’ll be able to avoid cavities, gum disease, enamel loss, and other common issues. Children, in particular, benefit greatly from seeing a dentist on a regular basis for preventive care. This is because practicing good oral hygiene is the best way to ensure your child’s permanent teeth come in healthy and strong.
Likewise, are vital for seniors because it helps them hold onto their natural teeth for as long as possible.
The best way to protect your teeth and gums is to practice good oral hygiene. But this can be easier said than done!
That’s why it’s important to consult with our Ann Arbor MI dentists and their team if you have issues maintaining good oral health at home.
We recommend that you brush your teeth twice a day and floss once daily. This will help from your teeth and gums. It’ll also help prevent tooth sensitivity.
Dental plaque is an invisible film of bacteria that lives inside your mouth. This bacteria feeds on sugar to produce cavity-causing acid. Over time, these acid attacks from plaque will weaken tooth enamel and infect your gums. The good news is that you can prevent dental plaque buildup by brushing and flossing every day.
If we still find a lot of plaque during your next appointment with us, we may recommend adding a fluoride mouth rinse to your routine. Fluoride is great for your teeth because it helps strengthen your enamel, increasing its resistance to acid attacks from plaque.
Did you know that dental plaque hardens into tartar? Only a dental professional can remove tartar, which is why you’ll need to schedule routine teeth cleanings with our office. During a dental cleaning, we use a special tool called a scaler to gently scrape away plaque and tartar.
We recommend you see us for teeth cleanings and exams at least every 6 months. But we may recommend more frequent visits if we need to closely monitor certain oral health conditions, such as gum disease.
Each patient is different. Request an appointment with our office to learn how to best take care of your smile!
X-rays let us see what’s going on beneath the surface of your teeth. It also lets us determine the health and condition of your jaws. For example, patients with missing teeth may experience a loss of bone density in their jaws over time. This is because the body absorbs minerals in the jaw to use elsewhere once it detects a missing tooth.
Taking X-rays allows us to see these types of problems and recommend solutions before they endanger your oral health. For example, we may recommend a dental implant to prevent further bone loss in the jaw.
Related: How Dental Implants Prevent Future Tooth Loss →
Our dentists in Ann Arbor, Michigan, are dedicated to treating patients of all ages with compassion and respect. To request an appointment, call Enhance Family Dentistry & Orthodontics at (734) 821-7676. You may also fill out our online contact form and someone from our team will reach out to you soon.
This blog post has been updated.
