Preventive Dentistry: Your First Line of Defense for a Healthy Smile

As with any other form of medicine, preventive care is the best way to reveal potential conditions and treat them before they become costly and dangerous in the future. Preventive dentistry offers patients of all ages a variety of services to preserve teeth, prevent gum disease, and detect abnormalities such as malocclusions and oral cancer. By taking a proactive approach to receiving preventive dental treatment on a regular basis, the best dentist can help you maintain optimal oral health.

Your mouth, jaws, gums, and teeth work in harmony to help you speak and process food properly. During oral examinations with your dentist, your entire mouth will be closely evaluated and diagnostic technology will be used to reveal tooth decay, oral cancer, and jawbone abnormalities. When these conditions are detected early, their treatment is often less costly and invasive when compared to patients whose conditions advance without professional dental care. For most patients, an annual examination is sufficient to catch problems early on.

In addition to dental exams, routine professional cleanings are paramount to preventing a number of conditions including periodontal (gum) disease. During your cleaning, your dental hygienist will remove tartar deposits near and above the gum line with special tools. Because brushing and flossing alone cannot remove tartar, professional cleanings are necessary every six months to maintain a clean, healthy mouth. Dental hygienists also look for signs of gum disease when removing tartar and polishing your teeth by measuring the space between the tooth and gum with precise measuring tools. Depending on the size of this space, your dental hygienist and dentist can determine if you have gum disease and how severe it is.

If oral conditions are detected during examinations and cleanings, your dentist will develop a treatment plan with a conservative approach to help prevent conditions from worsening in the future and restore your oral health.

Contact North Shore Restorative and Implant Dentistry today to schedule an examination or a professional cleaning with our experienced, caring dental team.