It goes without saying that preventive care is the name of the game when it comes to maintaining a healthy smile for life. Without a disciplined routine of excellent care, you could be subject to concerns such as decay, infection, and even tooth loss. What’s more, without proper care after losing a tooth, you will begin to experience even more problems as your oral health continues to decline. In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS prosthodontist will look at some common questions involving preventive dentistry to explain why it is necessary to stay on top of your oral health and where you might be falling short.
How Often Do I Need to Go to the Dentist?
When it comes to proper care, most dental offices recommend attending a routine examination and cleaning at least once every six months, or twice a year. The reason behind this amount of time is due to a strategic calculation. It allows some flexibility in accommodating your hectic day-to-day schedule, while also ensuring that not too much time has passed between visits in order to properly monitor any concerns or development. In essence, it is the perfect amount of time to ensure that minor concerns that have developed or have been identified do not become major concerns before your dentist can address them. Indeed, oral bacteria are present in every grin, and it is up to you to keep them at bay. To properly do so, you need more than just brushing at home. Instead, you need a healthy combination of preventive care at home, paying mind to your diet, and attending your routine dental checkups.
Do I Really Need to Floss?
Absolutely! Many individuals either forget to floss or do not consider it a necessary step, but it really is. You see, brushing allows you to remove harmful bacteria from the surfaces of teeth, but what about in-between them? When we eat, most of the time a portion of what we are eating will get lodged between structures, and brushing is not going to help dislodge them. If food particles remain, oral bacteria will gather to feed off the particle, essentially attracting them to your gums and between teeth. Flossing allows you to remove these particles and prevent future complications down the line such as periodontal disease.
How Does My Diet Play a Role?
Surprisingly enough, many are not aware of the harm that certain foods and beverages can cause to your teeth. For instance, fruits such as oranges, lemons, and other citrus products contain high levels of acidity that weaken the healthy layer of enamel, your smile’s only true defense mechanism. What’s more, sugars contained in sweets and other products actually feed oral bacteria, causing them to secrete harmful acid that eats away at a tooth’s structure. In other words, your diet plays a bigger role than you might expect, which is why it is beneficial to be conscious of these affects.
Schedule Your Appointment
For more information about the importance of preventive care, or to schedule your dental visit with our team, contact Dr. Stuart Dexter, Prosthodontist in Prairie Village, KS by calling 913-362-8200 today.