Don’t Sleep On Preventive Dental Care
A consistent at-home routine, along with a dental exam and cleaning every four to six months, is the best way to keep teeth healthy. We tell patients this every day, but there are still many who skip out on flossing or don’t keep up with their routine cleanings, putting their oral and overall health at risk. The mouth is the gateway to the rest of the body, so keeping it healthy is essential to a person’s well-being.
What’s the Risk?
Eating and drinking causes plaque to form on teeth. Plaque is a film that’s easily removed with brushing and flossing. However, if plaque remains on tooth enamel for more than 24 hours, it hardens into tartar, which a toothbrush and dental floss can’t remove. Hard tartar remains on the teeth until we can scrape it off with instruments made specifically for that purpose.
Even the most diligent home routine can’t remove all the plaque from every tooth surface. So everyone has some amount of tartar and plaque on their teeth. Tartar that’s not removed promotes tooth decay and irritates gum tissue, which can lead to gum disease. Tooth decay can’t heal on its own and will spread without treatment. Gum disease can also become problematic if not treated, even causing tooth loss. Beyond the effects on oral health, excessive plaque and tartar and advanced gum disease are linked to systemic disease, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and infection.
Vital Care
The good news is that it’s all preventable with the proper dental care. At Rivercrest Family Dental in New Braunfels, TX, we recommend patients brush their teeth at least twice a day. The best practice is to brush after every meal, but we understand that’s not always possible. We also recommend flossing at least once a day, preferably before bedtime. Flossing after meals whenever possible is a great habit to get into.
To make sure the at-home routine is working and check on the overall state of the teeth and mouth, we like to see patients every four to six months for a thorough examination and cleaning. We can see things our patients can’t because we use advanced digital imaging to reveal what’s going on under the surface, and our dentists are trained to spot the signs of disease before they become obvious. We look for things like:
- tooth decay
- abnormal wear
- subtle cracks and chips
- swollen or red gums, tongue, cheeks, or other soft tissues
- irritated or receding gums
- infection
If we find anything, we take the time to help the patient understand what’s going on and the available treatment options.
Patient health is our top priority, and we seek to make treatment accessible, comfortable, and effective. When we catch issues early, treatment is usually less invasive and less costly. That’s another great reason to see us regularly for exams.
If you’ve been putting off a dental appointment for any reason, please call our office located in New Braunfels, TX, right away to schedule an appointment. We’re here to help (not judge) and get your oral health on track.
