We, at East Cobb Family Dentistry, aim to provide you the most excellent service for your optimum oral health, to ensure not just a beautiful smile, but also a healthy one that’s free of damage and problems. We offer preventative dental services to maintain your bright smile and help you prevent oral health problems and complications.Preventive dental care or preventive dentistry refers to the way that you take good care of your mouth and keeping it healthy to reduce the need for dental treatments. The better care you give your teeth, the longer you will be able to keep your teeth for life.
Below are the most common oral diseases you may want to avoid by keeping a good oral hygiene:
- Dental Cavities – Cavities or caries are primarily caused by the plaque build-up on teeth, which produces acid and destroys tooth enamel. This can be avoided by brushing and flossing daily, and having regular dental checkups to remove the bacteria before it hardens as a tartar.
- Gum Disease – Gum diseases range from mildly swollen to bleeding gums to tooth loss. Many forms of gum diseases occur in adults and begin with gingivitis caused by plaque irritating the soft tissues along the gumline.
- Infectious Diseases – oral herpes is one of the most common oral diseases. This occurs in patients who are exposed to the herpes simplex virus. Patients who are HIV positive are also frequently seen with fungal and viral infections.
- Oral Cancers – Oral cancers do not show symptoms of the early stages. Oral cancer appears as a sore in the mouth that does not go away. The cells that grow invade your mouth and damage surrounding tissues.
- Gingivitis – Gingivitis is caused by a variety of bacteria that settles in the gum line and under the gum line. These bacteria produce toxins which cause swelling and inflammation to the gums, and eventually bleeding.
- Hand, foot and mouth disease – Hand, foot and mouth diseases are common among toddlers and school aged children and this is caused by a certain virus called Coxsackie A16.
- Herpangina – Herpangina usually infects children aged three to 10 during summer and fall. This is a disease related to hand, foot and mouth and characterized by fever, sore throat and difficulty in swallowing.
- Canker Sores – Canker sores are being called as apthous ulcers which are common in children and adolescents. Canker sores are lesions that form in the gums and other mouth tissues.
- Oral Herpes - Oral herpes is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus, and can be characterized by flu – like symptoms on the first infection.
What is involved in preventive dental care?
Your dentist will check your teeth and gums and discuss with you if you need any treatment. This aims is to really keep your mouth healthy and prevent oral problems like decay or gum diseases.
The following are the steps involved in preventive dentistry:
- Your dentist will remove all plaque and tartar from your teeth.
- Your dentist will show you how to properly brush and how to use floss to clean anything that is stuck between your teeth.
- You will be given advice on the best products that are more appropriate for you to use.
- Your diet, and lifestyle habits will also be discussed with you so you will be advised on the things that you need to continue doing and the ones that you should already stop.
- Your dentist will make sure that cleaning will not be a problem by making sure all your fillings are good and that there are no rough edges.
What are the benefits of preventive dentistry?
Aside from being able to keep yourself healthy overall with good oral hygiene, practicing preventive dental care can help you save money. You will no longer have to go through unnecessary procedures required because of missing teeth, stained teeth, tooth decay, gum diseases etc. which sometimes can be very costly. You will not even have to fear your dental appointments as a significant number of people actually experience dental anxiety. While preventive dentistry may not completely eliminate your need for some dental procedures, taking good care of your mouth can still go a long way in saving both time and money for these treatments.Contact East Cobb Family Dentistry for best preventive dentistry in Marietta GA. Conveniently located on Johnson Ferry Rd.