How Preventive Dentistry Saves You Money

Preventive dentistry is a crucial cornerstone of excellent oral well-being. When it comes to dental problems, as with most things, it’s always better and easier to prevent than cure. You can avoid extensive dental treatments, astronomical dental bills, and multiple dental visits by scheduling regular and consistent preventive visits with your dentist.

Preventive dental care is recommended for patients of all ages, including the very young and those in their sunset years. It’s never too early to seek the preventive dental treatment you require to enjoy a lifetime of healthy smiles.

Beautiful South Shore Smiles recommends getting your child started on preventive visits as soon as their first birthday and twice-yearly after that. Adults, too, should follow the same schedule to safeguard their oral health.

Common Dental Problems

Some of the most common dental problems that many individuals struggle with include:

• Bad breath. Bad breath or halitosis is a common, usually embarrassing, and downright awkward dental problem. Bad breath is typically a symptom of an underlying problem, such as dry mouth, oral cancer, poor dental hygiene, and gum disease.
• Tooth decay or cavities. A cavity, in the simplest terms, is a hole in your tooth caused when plaque and acids break down tooth enamel. Cavities are usually associated with poor oral hygiene.
• Gum disease. Also known as periodontal disease, gum disease is a severe infection of the gums. This infection tends to occur in individuals with compromised oral hygiene, which allows plaque to accumulate and attack the gum tissues.

Other common dental problems include oral cancer, mouth sores, tooth sensitivity, tooth erosion, and toothaches. These dental problems are usually nerve-wracking and can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Fortunately, most of these issues are preventable. By adopting an excellent preventive dental care routine, you can keep most of these issues at bay.

Preventive Dental Treatments

Preventive dental treatment focuses on eliminating the factors that may encourage the development of a particular dental problem. During your preventive visits, the dentist also checks to see if any you have any ongoing issues. When detected in good time, many dental problems can be resolved via simple, non-invasive treatment options.

The preventive dentist at Beautiful South Shore Smiles recommends adopting the following preventive treatments as part of your proactive approach to dental care:

Dental Exams

A dental exam is a comprehensive evaluation of your dental well-being. During this exam, the preventive dentist checks for symptoms of disease and offers appropriate interventions.

Dental Cleanings 

Cleaning your teeth at home helps to alleviate food debris and prevent the accumulation of plaque. However, home hygiene isn’t one hundred percent effective in eliminating the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. For ultimate protection, you require twice-yearly professional cleanings.

Dental Sealants 

Dental sealants are plastic coatings that form a protective barrier for the back teeth. Sealants keep acids, bacteria, and plaque from accessing the back teeth and offer adequate protection against cavities. Sealants are highly recommended for young children between the ages of 6 and 13.

Fluoride Treatment 

Fluoride remineralizes tooth enamel. Over time, your tooth enamel loses minerals in a process known as demineralization. When demineralization occurs, tooth enamel becomes weaker and more susceptible to cavities. Topical application of fluoride reverses this process and reinforces your teeth against tooth decay. Fluoride treatment is safe for both adults and children.

Oral Cancer Screenings 

Oral cancer or mouth cancer is any cancer that targets the oral cavity tissues. Oral cancer is treatable via radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, and surgery when detected early. However, the best way to handle oral cancer is to prevent it through oral cancer screenings. The preventive dentist looks out for signs consistent with oral cancer during these screenings and then advises you appropriately.

Why is Prevention Better Than Cure?

If you’d like to enjoy continued oral well-being, you must be willing to adopt preventive dental care as part of your health priorities. Preventive dentistry puts you firmly in the driver’s seat of your oral well-being by ensuring that you get the care you need before dental problems occur.

Below are some key benefits of preventive dentistry:

• It’s usually cheaper to prevent a problem than it is to treat it. For example, the American Dental Association estimates that dental sealants cost $30 to $40 per tooth. In contrast, root canal treatment costs about $600 to $1400 depending on the tooth’s location, while a non-surgical extraction can cost as much as $300.
• Preventive dental visits are shorter and less invasive.
• If you experience dental anxiety, the best approach is to prioritize prevention so that you’ll never require extensive restorative treatments.
• Excellent oral health boosts your oral well-being.

Schedule Your Preventive Visit

Are you ready to take better control of your oral health? Call Beautiful South Shore Smiles to schedule a preventive visit today.