The Importance of Preventive Dental Care

When it comes to keeping your smile healthy, preventive dental care techniques are among the most important tools patients can adopt to protect their teeth and gums. Often, the consequences of failing to do so can have lasting effects on your oral and overall health. However, there are steps that can be incorporated into your oral hygiene routine to keep your smile healthy.

Start Early: Adopting an effective oral hygiene regimen early can be the key to lasting oral health. By incorporating good oral health habits early in life, patients have the opportunity to learn those crucial skills before their permanent teeth come in, ensuring that they know the right way to take care of their smile. Additionally, an early introduction to dental health can reduce the likelihood of developing dental fears or anxiety in the future. 

Brush, Floss, Rinse, Repeat: While this may seem redundant, establishing a consistent oral hygiene routine can minimize the opportunity for bacteria to develop in your mouth. By thoroughly brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day, patients can prevent plaque from hardening into tartar and causing gingivitis. Following these actions with an antibacterial mouthwash can further reduce the opportunity for plaque and bacteria to wreak havoc on your smile.

Eat Smile Healthy Foods: A balanced diet isn’t just good for your health. Good nutrition is crucial to maintaining healthy gums and avoiding tooth decay. Certain foods, like cheese, peanuts, yogurt and milk are great for protecting your teeth from plaque development. Limiting sugary food and beverage consumption can also help prevent plaque buildup. Additionally, individuals should avoid indulging in a bedtime snack, as food left on the teeth overnight can increase the chance of cavity development.

Visit the Dentist: According to the American Dental Association (ADA), individuals should visit the dentist twice a year for a routine professional cleaning. While these check-ups may seem unnecessary, they make up an important part of preventive dentistry and are a key element to lasting oral health. During these appointments, your general dentist will examine your entire mouth for abnormalities as well as signs of gum disease, dental decay, and oral cancer. Early identification of these conditions can prevent your dental visit turning from a routine check-up into an invasive restoration procedure.

By following these basic oral hygiene tips, you can keep your smile healthy and beautiful. However, in the event more extensive treatment is needed in order to re-establish your oral health, contact Dr. Patel and the team at Lorton-Springfield Dental Implants and Oral Surgery today. We offer a number of restoration and correction procedures customized to help patients regain lasting oral health.