At Caring Dental Group, we love to have our patients in top shape, which is why preventative dentistry is our number one priority. Who wouldn’t want to just come in for an examination and walk out again without needing any procedures done?
We encourage excellent oral hygiene habits by showing you how to brush and floss correctly and can recommend extra accessories to help maintain a healthy mouth should the need arise. Such circumstances include when you are undergoing orthodontic treatment, have crown and bridges, large gaps between teeth or implants. Correct oral hygiene techniques prevent gingivitis (a form of gum disease) and caries (decay) in teeth. The lack-of or incorrect technique can cause gingivitis to become periodontitis, which is a severe form of gum disease leading to the destruction of the bone around the teeth. Unfortunately, once the bone loss has occurred, it cannot be recovered easily and usually resorts to surgical means by bone grafts.
Regular check-ups help to ensure things are going smoothly and should anything be done it should be quick and simple to resolve. Dental x-rays are only taken when necessary, as they are invaluable for showing us any areas of concern. In most emergencies and toothaches, dental x-rays are an easy way to help diagnose the problem so that we can help you get out of trouble as quickly as possible. Scale and cleaning your teeth help to remove plaque and calculus from your teeth and gums, allowing gingivitis to be at a minimum. Fluoride helps to make the tooth surface harder and less susceptible to getting decay and can be applied in many ways, from drinking fluoridated water and brushing with the correct toothpaste, to a concentrated mouthwash routine and professional fluoride application which is a quick and easy procedure.
Fissure sealants are a thin layer of plastic coating that are usually placed on deep grooves and fissures of newly emerged adult molars whilst it is still a healthy tooth. This thin layer helps to prevent plaque retention and hence less risk of caries. These are typically recommended for our younger patients around the ages of 6 years old for the first molars, 12 years old for second molars and 16 years old+ for the third molars if there is space to keep them in the arch. Fissure sealants are now also being recommended for our adult patients and senior population should we constantly find plaque retention on the chewing surfaces.