What is preventive dentistry?
Preventive dentistry is the modern
way of reducing the amount of dental treatment necessary to maintain a healthy
mouth.
It helps you to keep your teeth. The two major causes of tooth loss are decay
and gum disease. The better we prevent or deal with these two problems, the
more chance people have of keeping their teeth for life.
The joint efforts of the dentist, the hygienist and the patient, can help to
prevent the need for treatment, and so avoid the traditional pattern of fillings
and extractions.
A course of treatment may be recommended to get your mouth into good condition,
and a maintenance plan will be worked out to help you keep it that way.
Can
everybody benefit from preventive dentistry?
Yes, preventive
dentistry will benefit anyone with some of their own teeth. People who
don’t have any teeth can also benefit because conditions such
as mouth cancer and denture stomatitis can be identified and treated during
regular visits to the dentist. It is excellent for children and young people,
but it is never too late to start.
What is involved?
Your dentist will first
assess your teeth and gums, and discuss with you any treatment that is necessary.
The main aim is to help you get your mouth really healthy, to try and prevent
any dental problems returning. In a healthy mouth it is unlikely that decay
or gum disease will continue to be a problem:-
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The hygienist or dentist will
thoroughly ‘scale
and polish’ your teeth.
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The dentist or hygienist will
show you the best methods of brushing and flossing
to remove the bacterial ‘plaque’ which
forms constantly on your teeth and gums. Plaque is
an invisible film of bacteria that forms constantly
on the teeth and gums. When you eat or drink something
sugary, the plaque turns the sugar into acid, which
will cause tooth decay. Plaque will also cause gum
inflammation if it is not regularly and thoroughly
removed. The hard tartar (calculus), which builds
up on the teeth, also starts off as plaque.
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You will be advised which oral care products are
the best ones for you to use.
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The hygienist will probably discuss diet and any
habits such as smoking and drinking with you.
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Your dentist will also make sure that all your fillings
are in good repair and there are no rough edges to
make cleaning difficult.
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