The Importance of Preventative Dentistry
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, or so the saying goes. Nowhere is this adage truer than when it comes to dental care. Having a regularly scheduled checkup, cleaning, (recare), and fluoride appointment is the single best step you can take to prevent more painful and costly oral health problems. It should come as no surprise that catching a problem early not only avoids more invasive procedures, but saves a substantial amount of money and pain. A large part of what we do is to educate, empower and give you the tools to maintain a healthy mouth through general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry.
Of course, taking preventative care seriously starts at home with a proper diet, a healthy life style and regular flossing and brushing. Patient home care is important, however, many predisposing factors exist that patients don’t have control over. These include hereditary factors and other diseases that can lead to gum disease and decay placing your oral health at risk. Therefore, it is necessary to have your teeth cleaned and checked regularly, (recare) by a dentist. The frequency of your recare appointments will vary depending on your needs. By gathering information about the health of your gums and teeth we can customize a recare frequency that is right for you. Ensuring that you have a bright, beautiful, healthy smile for years to come is a lot easier if you take the steps to make sure potential problems are caught early and dealt with before they get out of hand.
Unfortunately, even the most rigorous dental hygiene practices won’t prevent the occasional problem that requires professional help. Fortunately, at the Advance Dental Group a qualified and caring dental team can provide you with a wide variety of services to ensure that your smile is always as healthy as possible. From routine cleanings to sports guards, surgical procedures to splints, ensuring that every member of your family is taken care of by a qualified professional is a priority. The dental health of yourself and the members of your family is not something to be taken lightly. By taking preventative steps now you can ensure that you will never find yourself caught by a serious oral health issue.
If you are a parent looking for a caring dental home to educate and take care of your family’s oral health or an adult with more advanced hygiene needs we can help provide solutions that are designed to reduce your risk. Understanding the importance of good dental health is absolutely vital and will ensure that your mouth is healthy and happy well into adulthood and later years. Please contact us to book your next appointment.
Preventative Care FAQs
Preventative dental care focuses on protecting your teeth and gums before more serious problems develop. It includes regular dental checkups, professional cleanings, fluoride appointments, oral hygiene education, and early detection of concerns like cavities, gum disease, worn enamel, and infection.
Preventative care helps catch dental problems early, before they become more painful, costly, or invasive to treat. Advance Dental Group emphasizes that regular checkups, cleanings, recare, and fluoride appointments are some of the best steps patients can take to avoid larger oral health concerns.
Many patients benefit from visits every six months, but your ideal recare schedule depends on your teeth, gums, cavity risk, medical history, and oral hygiene needs. Advance Dental Group customizes recare frequency based on the health of each patient’s gums and teeth.
A preventative dental visit may include a dental exam, professional cleaning, gum health assessment, cavity check, oral hygiene guidance, fluoride treatment, and a review of any changes in your mouth. The goal is to keep your smile healthy and catch potential concerns early.
Yes. Brushing and flossing at home are essential, but they cannot always remove hardened tartar or detect early dental problems. Professional cleanings and exams help address areas that are difficult to manage at home and allow your dental team to monitor your oral health.
Yes. Preventative care can reduce your risk of cavities by removing plaque and tartar, strengthening enamel with fluoride when appropriate, identifying early decay, and helping you improve brushing, flossing, and diet habits.
Fluoride treatment helps strengthen tooth enamel and protect teeth against decay. It may be recommended for children, cavity-prone adults, patients with sensitivity, or anyone at higher risk for tooth decay.
Yes. Fluoride is not just for children. Adults may benefit from fluoride if they have frequent cavities, gum recession, exposed root surfaces, dry mouth, sensitivity, or existing dental restorations that need extra protection.
Brush twice daily, floss every day, limit sugary snacks and drinks, drink plenty of water, maintain a balanced diet, and avoid tobacco products. Advance Dental Group also highlights proper diet, a healthy lifestyle, regular brushing, and regular flossing as important parts of preventative care.
Yes. Regular cleanings and gum assessments can help detect and manage early signs of gum disease. If plaque and tartar are left untreated, they can irritate the gums and lead to inflammation, bleeding, recession, and bone loss.
Yes. Preventative dental care helps children build healthy habits early, lowers their cavity risk, and allows the dentist to monitor tooth development. It also helps parents understand brushing routines, diet choices, fluoride needs, and when additional support may be helpful.
Skipping dental visits can allow small problems to become more serious. Cavities, gum disease, cracked teeth, and infection may not cause symptoms right away, but they can become painful or require more complex treatment if they are not caught early.
