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Why Preventative Dental Care is the Best Dental Care

Why Preventative Dental Care is the Best Dental Care

February 5, 2016

While we specialize in cosmetic dentistry and helping those in need of intensive dental care here at Edgerton and Fisher, it is always best to prevent dental problems before they occur. Routine dental care, such as bi-annual dental cleanings and annual dental x-rays are an easy way to help ensure that your teeth remain healthy and any issues are caught before they become major problems.

Some people may feel that simply by brushing, flossing and using mouth wash on a regular basis that they are taking care of their dental health. While each of these are very important parts of maintaining dental care, plaque will still occur in places that you may miss and these steps do not replace your semi-annual professional dental cleaning.

During your cleaning, a trained dental hygienist will remove any built up plaque and administer a fluoride treatment. Once a year (every other dental cleaning) the dental hygienist will also take x-rays of your teeth for the dentist to review. Afterwards, the dentist will inspect your teeth and gums, as well as your tongue, jaw, and surrounding lymph nodes. If dental x-rays were taken, the dentist will also review and compare these to your previous x-rays to see if any problems are developing. If an cavity appears to be forming, but doesn’t require a filling or other dental procedure, the dentist will place a “watch” on the tooth to be compared at your follow up visit – helping to ensure that potential problems are tracked, and acted upon, before pain occurs.

Some people are worried about the pain or bleeding that could potentially occur during their dental cleaning if they have already developed gingivitis. However, the easiest way to prevent this is simply to maintain your daily dental care routine and make sure that you receive routine cleanings. The better care you take of your teeth and gums, the healthier they will be. Those who are worried that their gums may swell during their dental cleaning may want to take an anti-inflammatory, such as Ibuprofen, after their cleaning to help combat this.

Since dental cleanings are such an easy way to prevent future dental problems, most insurances will cover a cleaning every six months without cost to the patient so there is truly no excuse to forgo this simple preventative care. Contact us today to make an appointment, and remember to keep flossing and brushing to make sure that your teeth and gums are as healthy as they can be!

Image of pretty female brudhing her teeth in front of mirror in the morning