Why Preventative Dentistry Is Important

Preventative dentistry is essential for keeping healthy teeth throughout your life. But, it has a larger impact than just that. Good oral health can affect your overall health as well.

Preventative dentistry is routine dental care to help maintain proper oral health. It’s a combination of good habits, such as regular brushing and flossing and routine dental check-ups. You start early in childhood taking care of your teeth and it extends throughout your entire life.

Preventative dentistry services might include:

• Professional teeth cleaning

• Routine oral exams, typically every six months

• Routine X-rays

Your dental treatment plan might cover you completely for preventative care, depending on which dental plan you have.

With proper dental hygiene, you can greatly decrease your risk of getting:

• Periodontitis

• Cavities

• Gingivitis

• Other dental issues

This will help decrease your risk of secondary issues with poor oral health causes. Some health issues that might be associated with poor oral health are:

• Heart disease

• Diabetes

• Cancer

• Respiratory disease

• Osteoporosis

Low birth weight and premature birth might also be associated with poor health. You should continue practicing good preventative oral health if you’re pregnant. This means visiting your dentist for regular exams and checkups while you’re pregnant.

Along with decreasing your risk for other health problems, practicing good preventative health can also help you save money. While dental insurance does cover many dental procedures, the costs linked with poor oral hygiene can really add up. Even though preventative dentistry might not totally eliminate your need for root canals, fillings or dental implants, it can certainly go a long way in decreasing your need for these expensive treatments.

If you wait to see a dentist for too long, you could suffer some negative consequences. Some negative outcomes that could occur if you postpone your visit for a long time are:

1. Tooth loss. One serious consequence of avoiding the dentist is tooth loss. Just about all issues that affect your gums and teeth are treatable, if you have them address in a timely manner. But, if you fail to have regular checkups and ignore the warning signs, you could lose your teeth. This can occur because of tooth decay or advanced periodontal disease left untreated.
2. Gum disease. Gum or periodontal disease is a common issue that could have a lot of harmful effects on your health. This isn’t something that happens overnight, but it typically occurs due to long-term neglect of your gums and teeth. If you have bleeding or painful gums, these are symptoms of periodontal disease. If you neglect it, it could lead to painful inflammation and tooth loss. There is also the risk of heart disease and other health issues if you let gum disease go untreated.
3. Costly and painful future dental procedures. Individuals who don’t go to the dentist can start experiencing severe toothaches which will force you to see the dentist for emergency dental treatment. The longer you avoid the dentist, the more likely you’ll need to undergo more painful and costly treatments, which may include root canals or implants.

The benefits of preventative dentistry are numerous and people of all ages can keep certain problems at bay with this form of dentistry like cavities, gum disease, sensitivity and other conditions. If the dentist is able to reverse the early signs of gum disease and cavities, you could look forward to a healthy smile for a lifetime. This is why it’s so important you maintain healthy teeth with preventative dentistry.

To book your appointment for preventative dentistry, contact Langley Dental Care. Our team will look for early signs of gum disease and cavities by providing you with an oral exam and x-rays. We’ll also provide you with professional teeth cleaning.