What are the best words that you would like to hear from your dentist when you go for a scheduled regular checkup?
“SMILE ON… You need no treatment.”
But of course you need to take good care of your teeth to be able to hear those magical words. Preventive dentistry has come a long way to make it easier than ever thought.
“Prevention is all the more important for teeth because once decayed, teeth cannot grow back to their original shape, they can only be filled up with artificial materials”.
Preventive dentistry starts at home. here are 10 tips to keep your teeth healthy and prevent any dental diseases.
1. Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste. (Consult your pediatric dentist about recommendation of toothpaste for children)
2. Use a soft tooth brush. A hard tooth brush does not help in better cleaning as may be thought. But it leads to abrasion of tooth enamel layer which may lead to sensitivity.
3. Correct brushing technique is the most important factor in ensuring the effectiveness of tooth-brushing. Use correct brushing technique as recommended by your dentist, More..
4. Use Dental Floss. No Matter What technique you use, a tooth brush cannot reach in between your teeth. You need to use a dental floss to be able to clean those areas.
5. Diet and food Habits. Avoid sticky foods, Avoid snacking in between meals. Always rinse your mouth thoroughly after eating anything. A sugar free chewing gum helps in preventing decay by removing food particles stuck onto the teeth and stimulating saliva secretion.
6. Regular Checkup: Visit your dentist regularly. This statement can never be over-emphasized. Most dental diseases are absolutely painless to begin with, they will silently keep on growing and they will show some symptoms only when they have reached an advanced stage. That’s often too late.
7. Ask your dentist about preventive procedures. Ask your dentist to educate you about prevention.
8. Regular scaling and polishing: Scaling and polishing is a method to remove any calculus and plaque that may have deposited on the teeth over a period of time. Scaling is generally recommended every six months or earlier depending upon your dental conditions. Scaling helps to prevent gum diseases and cavities. It also prevents bad breath and maintains freshness.
9. Fluoride treatment: Topical fluoride treatment can be administered by the dentist to make the teeth more resistant to decay. It is a totally painless non invasive procedure and can be done in the form of gels, pastes, or varnishes.Know More here
10. Pit and fissure sealants: Although they are useful in adults as well but Especially useful for children. They are one of the best means to prevent cavities in molars. Know more about it here.
And here is a bonus 11th Tip…
11. Early treatment: Should your dentist find any sign of decay, get it treated at the earliest. Early treatment is Cheaper, More effective, More durable, less invasive and prevents the need of extensive dentistry at later stages.
-By Dr. Dhirja Goel and Dr. Gaurav Kr. Goel (www.dentessence.com)
At Dentessence Dental care, we strongly encourage preventive dentistry, We believe that most dental diseases can be easily prevented with proper home and professional care and no individual should need a root canal treatment or extraction of teeth. Dr. Dhirja Goel is a specialist pediatric dentist ( Dentist for children). She exclusively treats children only at Dentessence Dental Care. Click here or call +91-120-4346505 or 9311083890 to book an appointment with Dr Dhirja for consultation about how you can ensure a healthy and beautiful smile for your little loved ones. After all, you wouldn’t want your child to suffer all life just because you didn’t take care for his/her teeth.