A stitch in time saves nine. This is a saying that we have all heard repeatedly, and it applies particularly well to oral health. Indeed, preventive dentistry is an important part of your dentist's work at Dents Mon Quartier, in LaSalle. In the following, discover key tips in preventive dentistry that have one main goal: to preserve the integrity and beautiful appearance of your smile!
What is preventive dentistry?
Preventive dentistry emphasizes good oral hygiene and regular dental examinations. Thus, as the name suggests, this aspect of modern dentistry is aimed at the prevention of pathologies that lead to the need to carry out treatments to stop them and to protect the teeth and other tissues of the mouth.
It is often said that dental care is expensive, but by respecting the principles of preventive dentistry, we put all the chances on our side to avoid resorting to these more complex and expensive treatments.
A good oral hygiene routine
We cannot repeat it enough! Good mouth health begins above all with the adoption and maintenance of good habits on a daily basis. In this sense, we must be careful to brush our teeth after each meal and before going to bed. This makes it possible to prevent the accumulation of dental plaque and tartar at the level of the dentition from leading to the appearance of caries or gum diseases. For optimal tooth brushing, here are some principles to remember:
- Choose a toothbrush with soft or extra-soft briskets, which are soft for tooth enamel.
- Avoid horizontal back and forth movements to brush teeth. This can damage the enamel and gum.
- Place the toothbrush in a 45-degree angle, the end of the bristles at the base of the teeth under the gum. Make a circular movement from the base of the teeth to their ends.
- Pay special attention to each tooth and each of their surfaces.
In addition to brushing teeth according to the right technique, be sure to integrate the use of floss into your daily habits. Floss at least once a day, always before brushing your teeth. This makes it possible to dislodge plaque and food residues that are stuck between the teeth, and then eliminate them through brushing.
Regular visits to the dentist
Regular visits to the dentist are also an integral part of the prevention of oral pathologies. Indeed, they allow your dental hygienist to perform a professional teeth cleaning, which includes descaling. Tartar is a calcified deposit that forms when plaque is not properly removed every day. It is related to the appearance of gum diseases.
In addition, routine visits to the dentist are an opportunity for the dentist to examine your teeth and all other tissues in the mouth. This is the only opportunity for him to detect and diagnose several problems, including caries, gum disease, tooth wear, temporomandibular joint problems, oral cancer...
So, avoiding regular visits to your dentist is equivalent to leaving your oral health wide open to diseases which, as they evolve, may lead to serious consequences for your smile, up to and including dental losses. Find more information about the importance of routine visits by checking out this other article on our blog.
Prevention of oral cancer
Oral cancer is detected by your dentist during dental exams during routine visits. Oral cancer is a sneaky disease since it is often asymptomatic while it is at the beginning of its development. Nevertheless, your dentist is specially trained to detect the signs and symptoms associated with cancerous and precancerous conditions of the tissues of the mouth. In addition, at Dents Mon Quartier, we use VELscope technology for mouth cancer screening. The latter allows you to visualize the cells of the mouth to detect early signs of cancer that would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye.
Dr. Joumana Charouk and her team are committed to your oral and general health. So, know that we are here to offer you all the preventive dentistry care you need!
Approved by Dre Charouk
Dr. Joumana Charouk, D.M.D, is proud to offer her patients exceptional care that combines experience, efficiency and good humor.
Dre Joumana Charouk, D.M.D