Preventive Dental Treatments 

Preventive Dental Treatments | It won’t be long before we’ll be ringing in the new year! Many people use this holiday as an opportunity to make positive changes in their lives. If you’ve been experiencing more dental problems than you’d like, or would simply like to improve your preventative dental care, you may want to make a commitment to certain dental practices so that you can go into the new year with positive energy and not have to worry about any annoying dental problems.

Dental Sealants 

Dental sealants are a relatively new type of Preventive Dental Treatments that many people are unaware of. According to the American Dental Association, dental sealants can prevent up to 80% of tooth decay by sealing the teeth to prevent the invasion of oral bacteria.

Dental sealants are a very simple treatment that does not: 

• Require drilling or shots
• Take a long time to complete
• Cost much money 

Dental sealants are an inexpensive and fast procedure that can save you money in the long run by preventing the need for treatments like dental fillings or root canals. Sealants involve painting a liquid substance onto the teeth, which will harden and lock out damaging oral bacteria to prevent tooth decay.

Sealants are typically used on the back molars. These teeth have deep grooves and crevices that commonly allow bacteria to hide and thrive.

Dental Exam and Cleaning

It’s easy to neglect routine dental exam and cleaning appointments, or Preventive Dental Treatments. You may think that simply brushing and flossing at home are enough. Although this may be true, for most people, exam and cleaning appointments are necessary as preventative dental care. Plaque can accumulate on teeth whether you brush and floss or not. You may miss a spot, but your dental team will not.

A dental cleaning appointment begins with an inspection of your teeth, mouth and gums. Your dental hygienist will be looking for any signs of trouble so that dental problems are detected at an early stage when treatment is the most successful. If everything checks out okay, you would undergo the cleaning part of the appointment. Otherwise, your dentist may want to take a look to provide recommendations for needed treatments. 

Your dental hygienist will use specialized dental tools to remove plaque from the surfaces of your teeth. Otherwise, plaque can build up and damage your teeth and gums, potentially leading to periodontal disease.

Dental cleaning does not normally take very long. An exception would be if you have already been diagnosed with periodontal disease, or it has been a very long time since you last came in for a cleaning appointment.

Contact Us for Preventive Dental Treatments

Overall, prevention goes a long way in preventing tooth decay and periodontal disease. As you enter the new year, it’s time to review your oral hygiene practices and get back on track with your exam and cleaning appointments. Please contact us today to schedule your Preventive Dental Treatments. New patients are welcome.