November 29, 2021
Good oral health goes beyond just brushing your teeth twice daily — visiting the dentist once every 6 months plays an important role in avoiding dental problems. Preventive dentistry is one of the modern methods of maintaining dental health and preventing dental problems.
The practice of preventive dentistry is all about ensuring oral health and avoiding decay by using preventive maintenance measures.
What is Preventive Dentistry?
Modern dental treatments can fix several issues such as chipped teeth, yellowing, and staining. But, preventive dentistry focuses on avoiding these issues rather than waiting for them to happen and then solving them.
Preventive dentistry will help avoid the pain, cost, and time taken to seek corrective measures that can restore your oral health to its optimum. The issues that can be avoided by preventive dentistry include:
- Erosion of enamel
- Decay of teeth
- Diseases of the gums
Oral health is crucial for overall well-being because the mouth is a breeding place for bacteria. Bad oral health can contribute to issues in the rest of the body.
For instance, gum diseases have been linked with:
- Lung infections
- Heart conditions
- Risk of oral cancer
- Diabetes and more
Preventive Dentistry Services Provided by Dentists
When you seek a renowned dental practice, you can be assured of receiving these preventive services:
- Thorough dental cleaning services
- Information on dental hygiene habits
- Examining the mouth, lips, cheeks, tongue, and neck for signs of oral cancer
- Inspecting the mouth, teeth, and gums for bleeding, bumps, and white spots
- Routine x-rays
- Dental treatments if needed
Benefits of Preventive Dentistry
Preventive dentistry helps prevent several health conditions. Some of the benefits are:
- Limits the risk of tooth decay, discolouration, gum diseases, and other critical oral health problems.
- Helps you gain control over your chronic conditions that can be impacted by your oral health, such as diabetes, cancer, bone and joint problems, and eating disorders.
- Develops an excellent oral health routine and inculcates a habit of brushing and flossing twice daily.
- Identifies oral problems at an early stage before the condition requires intervention. It can help minimise the expenses and time of the treatment.
How Can You Contribute to Your Oral Health?
The onus of maintaining oral health is not only on the dentist but also on the patient. Developing healthy oral habits early in life can bring about a lasting change in your general health. You can contribute to your oral health by:
- Brushing your teeth twice daily. Always remember to floss as well.
- A mouthwash after flossing helps remove any food particles stuck between the teeth and freshens breath by killing off bacteria.
- Try to avoid hard foods that could potentially damage your teeth.
- Avoiding acidic foods will help you retain the enamel longer.
- Avoid smoking and tobacco products that could cause oral cancer and other related health problems.
Wrapping Up
It is never too late to care about your dental health as it might also affect your general health. Preventing is always the best cure, and it works even in the case of your teeth. It is time to think about preventive dentistry and seek a dental practice in Harrow to put in a care plan that can ensure your teeth stay healthy for a long time.
Dr. Malavi Sivakanesan (292322)
Dr. Malavi Sivakanesan is the principal dentist and co-founder at Complete Smiles in Harrow, Greater London. She is responsible for establishing the Complete Smiles brand throughout the United Kingdom and Europe and has 5 successful practices under her strong leadership.