The health of our teeth and gums is one aspect of the body we can almost fully control. The practice of actively seeking to avoid the problems of gum disease and tooth decay is commonly known as preventative dentistry. This involves your dentist working with you and the dental hygienist to develop a plan of treatment to best help you avoid these conditions.
This will usually take the form of assessing your case history and developing a plan to avoid the recurrence of any prior dental problems. The dentist or hygienist will then fully scale and polish your teeth to remove any tartar or stains that can damage the teeth. The hygienist or dentist will then usually discuss your dietary and lifestyle habits and assess what changes need to be made to keep your teeth as healthy as possible. They will also suggest which dental hygiene products are most suitable for your teeth.
Any repair work such as dental bonding of chips and cracks and fillings will also be carried out or checked if from prior treatment. The aim of this is to get your teeth in the best possible condition before it is down to you to implement improved standards of oral hygiene to keep them that way. Dentists will be able to monitor your progress with regular check ups but there is a degree of discipline needed on the patient’s behalf for preventative dentistry to be fully effective.
Preventative dentistry is particularly effective at preventing gum disease, one of the most common dental concerns amongst adults in the UK. Make an appointment with a City of Leeds dentist to discuss the possibility of developing a preventative dentistry plan.
Tags: dental bonding, gum disease, preventative dentistry, tooth decay
