Preventative Dentistry

Preventative dentistry, in general terms, is oral care that involves education, treatment, and practice of maintaining your teeth and gums. Preventive dentistry includes everything from daily brushing to annual dental cleanings. These treatments were designed to avoid gum disease, cavities, and enamel wear which often leads to sensitivity.

Common Preventative Dentistry Practices

We at Cheadle employ a variety of procedures that occur in the dental chair for patients receiving preventive treatment, regardless of age. Even the dental exam itself is a form of prevention, as the purpose of the appointment is to detect the potential for dental decay, both during the oral exam and upon reading any x-rays taken.

Once the exam is completed, the dentist can then recommend that the patient have his or her teeth cleaned, which is helpful in the prevention of cavities and gum disease. The dentist or dental hygienist may require more than one appointment depending on the amount of time that has gone by, and how much personal home oral care you’ve taken up. This includes the treatment of gum disease, which usually requires additional experience in periodontics if the infection is already present.

Treatment for Children

Preventive dentistry is crucial in children. It is important that everyone should know about early exams and cleanings, which should be done before bacteria build up, can ensure a lifetime of dental health. After getting your kids’ teeth cleaned, reinforcing the dentist’s work with fluoride varnish prescriptions can help make the teeth of any patient more resistant to decay.

As children continue to grow, they may need to undergo orthodontics – braces. In this treatment, they wear brackets and wires surrounding most of the teeth to prevent misalignment as the jaw matures into adulthood. Home fluoride rinse products can help maintain.

The Goal of Preventive Dentistry

At Cheadle, we value preventive dentistry the most as the benefits of this form of dentistry are numerous. It is also universally applicable to patients of all ages who can realize its goal. Preventive dentistry focuses on keeping gum disease, sensitivity, cavities, and other common conditions at bay. If early signs of cavities and gum disease can be reversed, then patients can look forward to a lifetime of healthy smiles.