Preventive Dentistry
Preventative dentistry is a combination of treatments that will help keep your teeth and gums in the best possible condition. Preventative dentistry procedures offered by 1300SMILES include hygiene appointments and treatments for gum disease (periodontal disease). Your preventative dental care routine extends to home dental care, as brushing and flossing regularly will prolong the life of your natural teeth and can prevent tooth decay and gum disease from developing. With patient education a huge part of preventative dentistry we can offer you customised advice on home dental care and how to reduce your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
How Can Preventative Dentistry Help Me?
We strongly recommend all of our patients follow a good preventative dental care routine. This will not only help you achieve and maintain an attractive smile, but will save you time and money as it is considerably less expensive to maintain your natural teeth than to replace them. By following a good preventative dental care regime, you will reduce your risk of having a dental emergency such as toothache.
What Will Happen During A Hygiene Appointment?
You will see one of our qualified dental hygienists for this treatment and using special hand tools they will gently scrape or scale away all hardened plaque (called tartar or calculus) from your teeth. Calculus tends to build up around the gum line, where your teeth meet your gums and if not regularly removed will infect and inflame your gums. Once all the calculus has been removed, your teeth are carefully polished, leaving you with that lovely ‘just been to the dentist’ feeling of having super-clean teeth. Polishing your teeth can help remove some surface stains, so as an added bonus you may notice your teeth look slightly brighter and more sparkly than before. It is also a great treatment for freshening up breath.
What About Looking After My Teeth At Home?
In order to prevent dental diseases you need to brush at least twice a day, preferably first thing in the morning and last thing at night and you must floss once-a-day. It is best to floss after brushing your teeth just before bedtime as this way you will go to bed with a clean mouth.
Regular brushing and flossing removes plaque and food debris from your teeth and gums. Plaque can harden into calculus within just a couple of days and calculus is very hard and can only be removed by a hygienist. You may wish to use a mouthwash after brushing and flossing, but if you, do try to pick one that is alcohol-free and which is antimicrobial for maximum benefits. Some mouthwashes will only have a cosmetic effect, temporarily freshening breath without providing any real oral health benefits.
How Often Should I Have Hygiene Appointments?
We suggest you book a hygiene appointment at the same time as your regular dental examination, approximately every six months. Combining these two treatments will only take about an hour, and will hopefully be all that is required for another six months.
It Has Been A While Since My Teeth Were Cleaned: Does This Matter?
There is no need to worry if you have not had your teeth cleaned for some time, or if you have not been able to get to a dentist for a while. We Care about your dental health and just want you to benefit from your treatments with us. We never judge as we know some people struggle to visit a dental clinic but it is never too late to have professional dental care and we can help you achieve a nice healthy smile.
What Happens If I Cannot Floss?
We know lots of people struggle to use floss and we can help you. Our dentists and hygienists are always willing to give advice and practical help on brushing and flossing techniques. We love educating patients so please just ask us for advice. We can also offer advice and information on the best tools to use as there are alternatives to dental floss which can be very effective and easier to use.
What Happens If I Have Gum Disease?
Gum disease is very common and if we find you have this condition then we will suggest treatments to help clear up the infection, hopefully before any long-term damage is caused. If you visit us regularly then we can detect the very earliest signs of gum disease, probably well before you have noticed anything is wrong. Treatments include conventional hygiene appointments. More extensive gum infections may be treated using a process that deep cleans the gums and which is called scaling and root planning. If you have advanced gum disease (periodontitis) we may refer you to a specialist dentist called a periodontist and who can provide the latest and most advanced gum treatments.
Our $1 a Day Payment Plan is an easy way to access affordable, high quality dental care. Get in touch with 1300SMILES by calling us or contact us with Live Chat and discover how this plan will help you and your family save money.
