Helping you maintain a healthy mouth
Preventive dentistry is a modern approach which helps you keep your natural teeth. The two major causes of tooth loss are decay and gum disease. The better we prevent or deal with these issues, the more chance you have of keeping your teeth for life.
A joint effort
Preventive dentistry involves the dentist and patient working together with a common goal, helping to prevent the need for treatment and avoid the traditional pattern of fillings and extractions.
We may recommend treatment, if necessary, to get your mouth in good condition, and implement a maintenance plan to help you stay in top oral health for the long term. With the new developments in modern dentistry, it is entirely possible to prevent or considerably reduce dental disease.
What is involved?
During your appointment, your dentist will assess your teeth and gums and discuss any treatment you need. The main aim is to help get your mouth really healthy to try and prevent any dental problems from returning. In a healthy mouth, it is unlikely that decay and gum disease will continue to be a problem.
Treatment steps:
- The dentist will undertake professional mechanical plaque removal
- The dentist will show you the best method of oral hygiene according to your teeth and gums. We will remove bacterial ‘plaque’ which can form around your teeth and gums.
- You will be advised which oral care products are the best ones for you to use.
How do I keep my mouth healthy?
The British Dental Health Foundation suggests that to maintain a healthy mouth, it is important to:
- Brush your teeth twice a day using fluoride toothpaste
- Limit sugary snacks and drinks
- Visit your dentist at least once a year
We are passionate about oral hygiene and helping you prevent any dental issues from occurring. The following brushing and flossing advice could be helpful to form your oral health routine at home.
Interdental brushing
As a result of improved oral hygiene and fluoride, more people are keeping their own teeth into old age. In order to continue to maintain healthy teeth and gums, a regime of brushing and rinsing twice a day should be combined with interdental brushing – cleaning between the teeth.
The major cause of tooth decay and gum disease is plaque. The formation of plaque is continuous and its growth cannot be stopped. Whilst brushing controls plaque formation around the surfaces of your teeth, it does not reach between your teeth and that’s why interdental brushing once a day is so crucial.
Cleaning between your teeth is made possible by the use of the following:
- Dental floss
- Interdental brushes
- Single tuft toothbrushes
- Dental sticks
- Rubber tip stimulators
- Irrigation device
Consult your dentist to learn more about the right method of interdental brushing for you.
Flossing
Flossing helps clean teeth in the areas that brushing alone just cannot reach (between the teeth and under your gum line). Flossing and then brushing helps remove plaque, a sticky substance that accumulates and hardens over time. Left untreated, plaque deposits can eventually lead to gum disease and tooth decay.
Learning the proper way to floss your teeth is important. We are very happy to demonstrate proper flossing techniques during your appointment to help you at home.