Dr. Jennifer Lee, a dentist in Crystal River, knows that many people don’t like visiting the office. The dread often stems from a lack of information. People associate dental treatments with needles and pain. Often, they are traumatized by past experiences. But in most cases, they develop fear from reading misinformative stories circulating online. It’s important to understand that dental visits are for your good.
It’s a form of preventive dental care that helps boost your oral health and protect you against tooth decay, cavities, gum disease, and other oral health complications. Caring for your teeth and gums requires you to be proactive. Part of your responsibility is ensuring you visit your dentist for preventive dental treatments.
Maintaining Good Oral Health Through Preventive Dentistry
What Is Preventive Dentistry?
Preventive dentistry is the practice of caring for your oral health to avoid enamel wear, gum disease, and tooth decay, among others. It comes in many forms, such as dental exams and X-rays, professional teeth cleanings, dental sealants, fluoride treatments, mouthguards and nightguards, bad breath treatment, oral cancer screenings, and TMJ/TMD therapy. Essentially, apart from your daily oral care routine, you need the help of your dentist to protect yourself against oral diseases.How Many Times Should You Visit Your Dentist?
The good news is that you don’t have to see your dentist daily. The American Dental Association recommends visiting the dentist once every six months for a thorough oral examination and cleaning to prevent dental problems. However, the intervals of your visit will depend on the state of your oral health. Patients with high cavity risks and those with gum disease may require more frequent visits. Your dentist will determine how often you need to visit.What Are the Benefits of Preventive Dentistry?
It Can Save Your Life
You may not appreciate it now, but preventive dentistry can save your life. Did you know that a tooth infection can become a life-threatening problem if left untreated? Without treatment, the infection can penetrate your bloodstream and lead to sepsis. Sepsis can be fatal and requires immediate treatment.Detect Problems Early
Preventive dentistry will significantly lower your risk of getting dental problems. Visiting your dentist regularly will allow them to identify problem areas and treat them early before they are allowed to progress.Learn How to Improve Your Oral Hygiene
One great thing about dentists is they are experts in oral hygiene. Besides cleaning your teeth and treating dental issues, they can provide you with valuable pieces of information on how to improve your teeth cleaning skills. The advice they’ll give you is based on what they find after the oral exam, so it’s not generic. You can learn from your dentist what foods to avoid to protect your teeth against cavities and techniques you should be using when brushing and flossing to avoid gum disease.