Preventative Dentistry

Let’s be honest, oftentimes we wait until something is wrong to go to the doctor or dentist. But wouldn’t it be nice to have less things go wrong? Preventative dentistry is oral care that involves education, treatment and practice of maintaining your teeth and gums so that you don’t have to deal with pesky issues such as cavities! From daily brushing to annual dental cleanings, these tasks are designed to avoid gum disease, enamel wear and more!

Preventative Dentistry at Carolina Smile Design

Carolina Smile Design practices a variety of procedures for patients receiving preventive treatment, regardless of age. A regular dental exam itself is a form of prevention, as the purpose of the appointment is to detect the potential for dental decay, both during the oral exam and upon reading any dental images (x-rays) taken. We recommend you have a regular dental exam every 6 months. Once the exam is done, the dentist can then recommend that the patient have his or her teeth cleaned, which is helpful in the prevention of cavities and gum disease.
Depending on the amount of time that has gone by, and how much personal home oral care you’ve done, the dentist or dental hygienist may require more than two appointments. This includes the treatment of gum disease, which usually requires additional experience in periodontics if the infection is already present.

Preventative Dentistry for Children

In children, preventive dentistry is incredibly important. Early exams and cleanings (before bacteria builds up) can ensure a lifetime of dental health. After getting your kids’ teeth cleaned, reinforcing the dentist’s work with fluoride varnish prescriptions can help make the teeth of any patient more resistant to decay. This small investment can save a parent lots of time and money in the future.
Sealants are another preventive option for your child(ren). As young children’s permanent molars grow in between the ages of 6 and 12, dental sealants can be applied to the top surfaces to prevent decay from occurring in the grooves naturally found in these back teeth.
As children continue to grow, they may choose to undergo orthodontics (braces), wherein they wear brackets and wires surrounding most of the teeth to prevent misalignment as the jaw matures into adulthood. It can be difficult to clean teeth properly with braces. This is where home fluoride rinse products can come in handy. They make sure cavities don’t set in around the brackets glued to the teeth.

The Goal of Preventive Dentistry

Preventative dentistry is a no-brainer. The benefits of this form of dentistry are incalculable, and patients of all ages can realize its goal: keeping gum disease, sensitivity, cavities and other common conditions away. If early signs of cavities and gum disease can be prevented, patients can look forward to a lifetime of healthy smiles. Choose prevention today!