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Preventive Dentistry Q & A
If you could avoid a toothache and expensive dental procedures, you probably would, and preventive care enables you to do just that. Monleudy Bracken, DDS, and the team at Vibrant Smile Dentistry in Norfolk, Virginia, believe preventive care is the best way to help patients avoid the misery of tooth decay and loss. They provide information and advice on oral hygiene and nutrition as well as regular check-ups and routine screenings to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Call Vibrant Smile Dentistry today to schedule your check-up or book an appointment online.
What is preventive care?
Preventive care aims to help you avoid problems with your teeth and gums by taking steps to protect your teeth and identify any issues at an early stage. Practicing preventive care could help you avoid the pain, inconvenience, and expense of problems such as:
- Periodontal (gum) disease
- Caries (cavities or holes in your teeth)
- Worn enamel
- Infections
- Abscesses
- Tooth sensitivity
The best way to practice preventive care at home is to look after your teeth and gums properly. The foundation for good oral health is to brush twice each day with a suitable, good-quality toothbrush and floss once a day.
How can preventive care help me avoid dental decay?
The Vibrant Smile Dentistry team can show you the best way to brush and floss your teeth. They can also check to make sure you’re removing all the plaque and food debris from your mouth when you brush.
Routine X-rays show the team what’s going on inside your teeth and jaws, so they can diagnose problems like cavities and periodontal disease before they cause serious damage to your teeth and gums. They can also use dental cone beam computed tomography (CT) technology to create a 3D image of your mouth and teeth.
Regular check-ups at Vibrant Smile Dentistry are essential to good oral health. At your visit, you undergo procedures to thoroughly clean your teeth and gums. Suitable patients also have treatment with ARESTIN® (minocycline HCl) microspheres, which contain antibiotics to kill any bacteria that could cause decay.
Is there a link between preventive dental care and diet?
What you eat and drink has a significant effect on your teeth. For example, sugars – even naturally-occurring ones like those in fruit juice – cause tooth decay, while red wine can stain your teeth. Healthy teeth also require good nutrition.
The Vibrant Smile Dentistry team can give you the information you need to help avoid foods and drinks that might damage your teeth. They can also advise you on what you need to be eating to promote healthy teeth.
Hydration affects your oral health as well. Dry mouth, which can be due to dehydration, develops when your salivary glands don’t produce enough fluid. As saliva is essential for keeping plaque levels down, dry mouth can speed up the development of decay and disease. Your dentist can supply a prescription-strength oral rinse to treat dry mouth.
Can preventive care help me avoid other oral problems?
As well as helping stop gum disease and cavities developing, the Vibrant Smile Dentistry team can also diagnose other problems early on. Services they offer include:
- Oral cancer screening
- Bite evaluation
- TMD (temporomandibular disorder) screening
Screening detects problems like these so you can receive treatment before they get any worse.
Is preventive dental care important to my general health?
Preventive dental care doesn’t just help with tooth, gum, and jaw health. Research shows several medical conditions have links to poor oral health, including:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes
- Stroke
To take advantage of the preventive care services at Vibrant Smile Dentistry, call today, or book an appointment online.
Office Hours
Mon-Thur
8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Friday
8:30 am - 2:00 pm
Sat-Sun
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