Our Fairborn dental office provides preventative dental care to help keep our patients in excellent oral health and reduce the likelihood they will develop cavities or infections.
Preventative dental care can be proactive, rather than reactive, by cleaning teeth on a regular basis. We can help prevent cavities from forming by strengthening teeth through the use of fluoride. Fluorine is a naturally occurring mineral that can help strengthen your teeth and combat erosion that can occur while eating and brushing on a daily basis. Statistically, when children have a dental fluoride treatment, the risk for developing cavities decreases by 30 percent. The significant drop in risk of developing cavities can also reduce the likelihood your child will suffer from an unnecessary toothache.
Dental sealants are another step in preventative dental care. Not everyone needs sealant, but if your children do, this will help reduce the number of cavities they may get. When there are deep ridges on the chewing surfaces of the teeth, it is possible for food to become trapped between them. Brushing alone is often not enough to remove the buildup of plaque since the toothbrush cannot effectively get between the ridges. To prevent decay, we can brush a plastic-like sealant onto the chewing surfaces of the teeth that will serve as a barrier. When eating, food will touch the sealant and not the actual teeth. As a result, nothing will become trapped, and the likelihood of a cavity forming in that area is greatly reduced. Applying sealant is easy, and it only takes a couple of minutes per tooth. This means children can have this procedure without feeling uncomfortable and gain numerous health benefits.
This is an important part of preventative care because it allows us to provide you and your children with information on how to stay in good oral health between dental visits. We realize that while regular teeth cleanings can help prevent cavities and infections, we need our patients to participate in making healthy choices at home. This begins with your diet. We encourage patients to eat a diet low in sugar and processed carbohydrates, but full of dairy products, lean protein, green leafy vegetables, and nuts. These foods can help strengthen and remineralize teeth so they are strong enough to fight off decay.
Another aspect of education is teaching patients how to brush and floss correctly; this is especially necessary with children. Brushing, in general, is not enough, but brushing correctly can certainly help. Proper brushing involves starting the brush at the gum line and moving it in a circular pattern toward the center of the mouth. It is important to brush for two minutes at a time and use a soft toothbrush that will not irritate the teeth, along with a fluoride toothpaste. When combined with proper flossing, these at-home steps can help to keep you in good oral health in between dental visits.
For more tips and suggestions, call our Fairborn dental office and schedule an examination.
Preventive dentistry goes beyond undergoing dental checkups and cleanings twice a year. Read on to learn how preventive dentistry can protect against various oral health issues. You ensure a lifetime of good oral health and ultimately your general health if you keep those regular checkups. Preventive dental care checkups help you stay proactive in many…
Preventative dentistry involves you keeping your teeth and gums healthy by taking actions that will protect against dental problems like tooth decay, gum disease, and enamel loss. Tooth decay and gum disease are two of the most common dental issues that people seek care for, yet both are preventable.Things like daily oral hygiene and teeth…
Dentists have long recognized an oral health connection to overall health. The body’s systems are interrelated and affect one another. Long-term dental problems impact the immune system and other metabolic functions. It is the view of the American Dental Association that infections often enter the body through the mouth.A long-term infection in the gum taxes…
Preventive dentistry centers around a few core values: Practice good daily oral hygiene, never skip a dental cleaning and avoid sugar. Steering clear of sugary food and drinks is one of the pillars of dentistry.Read on to discover the seven things you need to know about the connection between sugar and tooth health.The mouth is…
Many people seek a smile makeover because many makeover options can give them the smile they have always wanted. In addition, people who want to restore the appearance and function of their smile are also looking into their makeover options, as restoring one's smile is now easier than ever due to all of the available…
Before we get into our discussion of the materials used for dental fillings, it is important to know what they are used for. Fillings are used to replace parts of teeth that have been affected by cavities, cracks, or damage from nail-biting or teeth grinding. There are various materials that fillings are made of. Read…