Imagine life without your teeth. Eating food would be incredibly difficult and your speech would be impaired. When patients neglect their oral health with improper oral hygiene or avoid checkups and cleanings, they put themselves at a very high risk for developing conditions such as gum disease and dental caries. To safeguard your smile, our team of dentists recommend that you practice proper oral hygiene, eat a diet lower in sugar, and visit your dental provider for routine checkups and cleanings.
The Importance of Oral Hygiene
As an everyday preventive approach to protecting one’s oral health, patients should floss daily and brush their teeth twice a day or after meals. Brushing and flossing is important for reducing the amount of harmful oral bacteria in the mouth and preventing plaque buildup. Plaque is a sticky substance that coats the teeth and is formed by colonies of bacteria. If plaque isn’t removed with proper oral hygiene, it will harden into tartar, which cannot be removed by flossing or brushing. Tartar is a leading cause of gum disease—a condition that causes tooth loss and a chronic infection in the mouth.
Sugar Intake and Oral Health
At any moment, a patient’s mouth is full of bacteria and some bacteria are responsible for tooth decay if tooth enamel is weakened by acid. To help control bacteria, patients should limit their sugar intake in addition to proper brushing and flossing. The reason sugar should be limited is the fact that sugar is a source of food for bacteria. By reducing sugar intake, you can help starve harmful bacteria.
How Regular Checkups and Cleanings Protect Your Smile
During checkups, your dentist looks for signs of gum disease, tooth decay, and oral cancer. By attending regular examinations, our team can catch potential issues early on. Early detection normally reduces the need for costly or invasive treatments to remedy a problem. Professional cleanings are also incredibly important for preventing oral health issues. Our hygienists use special tools to remove substances like tartar and clean hard to reach areas in the mouth. Preventive treatments that strengthen tooth enamel are also available to our patients.
To schedule an appointment for a cleaning or checkup, contact any of our convenient locations today.