Preventative Dentistry Hornsby

Benefits of Preventative Dentistry Hornsby

Preventative dentistry will benefit anyone with some of all of their teeth. Even if you have lost some teeth, it is never too late to start to maintain your oral health to retain the teeth you have left. Keeping your gums healthy is a big part of preventative dentistry. Even if your have lost all your teeth preventative dentistry is ideal for checking for other health conditions such as oral cancer and denture stomatitis. (Denture stomatitis is a yeast or fungus called candida).

What is involved in Preventative Dentistry Hornsby?

Preventative dentistry is essentially a checkup on a regular basis that helps to keep your oral health to the optimal level. In a mouth that is healthy it is unlikely that decay or gum disease will continue to be a problem.

Prevent Plaque, Tartar, Cavities & Tooth Decay

Our friendly dentists will examine your teeth to look for early signs of tooth decay. If you have any cavities or white spots on the teeth, they will take the appropriate treatment path and use a fluoride treatment to reverse the decay and treat the larger cavities with dental fillings.

The next part of the checkup includes a professional tooth cleaning to remove plaque or tartar from your teeth and gums. This will help to protect the teeth and gums from attacks by harmful bacteria.

Routine Dental Visits Keep Gums Healthy

Gums are extremely important and if you end up with gum disease it can be quite serious. The early stages of gum disease don’t always have symptoms, so detecting your own gum disease is very hard. Our dentists are trained to spot gum disease and will check for this during your checkup. They will make sure your gums are firm and check for swelling, receding gums and deep gum pockets. If anything is found our dentist will treat the underlying cause and come up with a treatment plan for you.

Routine Checkups Are Useful To Check For Oral Cancer

Our dentists will also look for signs of oral cancer. Checking for this is extremely important as cancer can develop into a life-threatening illness if left undetected.

Systemic Health Issues Can Be Detected With Routine Checkups

Head and neck exams are also important in your dental checkups. Our dentists will check the lymph nodes, neck and jaws for swelling, lumps, deformities and any other symptoms of illness. If our dentists suspect something they will refer you to the correct medical professional.

What can you do at home to prevent teeth and gum issues?

It is very important that you maintain a good oral hygiene routine at home to keep your teeth and hums healthy. We recommend that you:

• Brush your teeth just before you go to bed so you have a clean mouth and teeth at the end of the day, and also clean your teeth at least 1 more time during the day with fluoride toothpaste.
• Spit out after brushing and do not rinse. This way the fluoride stays on your teeth longer.
• Clean in between your teeth with interdental brushes or floss – brushing alone only cleans up to 60 % pf the surface of your teeth.
• Use a mouthwash. Mouthwashes contain antibacterial ingredients to help prevent gum disease, and fluoride to help prevent decay. Using mouthwash in between brushing means your teeth and gums will be protected longer.

The Importance of Preventative Dentistry

Keeping your teeth and gums healthy should be part of your overall health plan. People often don’t think of oral health in this same way, but it is extremely important to do so.

Contact our friendly team at Happy Smiles Dentist Hornsby today and book your appointment to start your preventative dentistry appointments today. If you are one that gets anxious and uptight when it comes to the dentist we can talk to your about our IV sedation dentistry option available to help put your mind at ease and overcome your fears.