Your smile is the first impression you make in the world. The key to keeping that warm and friendly smile for your first impressions is maintaining healthy teeth, gums and oral tissues. To accomplish this, one must have good oral hygiene, a healthy body, and regular cleanings and check-ups with their Dentist. In addition, while modern dentistry has many technologically advanced treatments to save teeth or replace those that are missing; our most effective tool is still prevention.
Prevention begins at home with good oral hygiene involves brushing at least twice a day for 2 minutes each time with a fluoridated toothpaste, as well as proper flossing technique before brushing at least twice a day. Maintaining a healthy body is also important, because there are many diseases that affect one’s gums and teeth and vice versa.
Regular checkups and cleanings with your Hygienist and Dentist are also required for prevention. People are often under the misconception that they have well enough home care, they can skip this important aspect of oral health care. However, regular checkups and cleanings are required for several important reasons. First, when you come for a regular checkup, the Hygienist and Dentist are trained to evaluate your head and neck, and your oral cavity for oral cancer, as well as some systemic diseases that can be detected in the oral cavity. Second, the health of your gum tissue is evaluated. Without proper care, patient’s develop Gingivitis, which leads to Periodontitis (bone loss), which in turn leads to sensitive teeth, tooth loss, root decay, and painful abscesses. Third, yearly x-rays are used to reveal tooth decay, periodontal bone disease, systemic bone disease, and abscesses that you may not even be aware of yet. Fourth, a thorough clinical examination of the teeth, can detect decay before it is even seen on an x-ray, and is therefore treated with a simple filling. Finally, maintaining a relationship with your dentist and hygienist allow for a more comfortable atmosphere for you when work is needed.
As you can see, routine cleanings twice a year, and x-rays once a year, are beneficial for prevention and early detection. If you can maintain your oral health on a regular basis, you can save yourself from costly dental procedures. In addition, there are many systemic diseases that are first detected in the dental office by your Dentist or Hygienist. This sort of early detection of diseases of the oral cavity and body is beneficial to your overall health.
