Dental care treatments can help you to prevent common dental issues like gum disease and tooth decay. Preventing oral health issues starts with good oral hygiene and forming good habits that promote a healthy mouth. Preventative dental treatments can be combined with good oral hygiene to give your mouth optimal protection against oral health issues.
Here are some preventative dental care treatments that our dentist recommends to keep your teeth and gums healthy:
Teeth cleanings are the most commonly performed preventative treatment used in dentistry. It involves using a scaler to remove tartar and plaque from teeth surfaces. Plaque is created by oral bacteria with the sugars in food particles in the mouth. The sticky film contains bacteria and the teeth-damaging acids they produce. Plaque can be removed by brushing and flossing. However, it hardens into tartar when left on teeth for days and tartar cannot be removed by brushing. Dentists use a metal tool to scrape it off teeth during teeth cleaning treatments. The procedure also allows the dentists to detect developing dental issues as they clean each of the patient’s teeth.
Fluoride treatment can be used to protect teeth against tooth decay, reverse the first stage of decay, and treat sensitive teeth. Fluoride is essential for teeth since it is used to rebuild teeth enamel that has been damaged by decay.
Dentists often recommend a fluoride treatment when they notice a patient is vulnerable to tooth decay. The procedure typically involves biting down on a mouth tray that has been filled with a fluoride solution for about a minute. The procedure can protect the patient’s teeth from decay for up to six months.
Dental sealants serve as a barrier that prevents the acids made by oral bacteria from making contact with a tooth’s surface. The varnish-like sealant is painted on the patient’s teeth and it hardens with exposure to air. Sealants can protect a person’s teeth from decay for up to three years. Dentists often recommend sealants for the teeth in the back of the mouth since they are the hardest to clean.
Fillings are the first line of defense once tooth decay gets past the de-mineralization phase. Fillings are used to close up the tiny holes created by decay called cavities. Anesthetics are usually administered when fillings are being placed so the dentist can remove the decayed material from the tooth.
Fillings have a putty-like feel when applied, but they harden once they make contact with air or saliva. Silver amalgam fillings are the most commonly used and affordably type, but they have a dark color that can ruin the way teeth look. Composite resin fillings are emerging as the new standard since they can be color-matched with a patient’s teeth.
Take good care of your mouth and you will rarely find yourself dealing with a serious dental issue. Call or visit our Scottsdale clinic to schedule a dental care consultation with our dentist.
Request an appointment here: https://sonorandesertdentistry.com or call Sonoran Desert Dentistry at (480) 439-0117 for an appointment in our Scottsdale office.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Routine Dental Care in Scottsdale, AZ.
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