In order to preserve your smile’s appearance and your general oral health, it’s important to get routine dental care, such as cleanings and exams. Doing so will help to protect your teeth and gums from diseases that can lead to devastating consequences if left unchecked.
Regular appointments with a dentist go a long way in preventing various oral diseases. When patients take steps to minimize the presence of damaging oral bacteria, they are simultaneously lowering their chances of a variety of oral health problems.
The first component of preventive dental care is the professional cleaning, which is known as prophylaxis. According to Merriam-Webster, the word prophylaxis means “measures designed to preserve health,” and the definition is a fitting one in the case of dental cleanings, which safeguard oral health.
During a professional cleaning, a dental hygienist can remove plaque buildup from your teeth and gumline by using dental instruments that tend to be far more effective than brushing and flossing alone.
Even those patients who are tremendously dedicated to their brushing and flossing regimens may not succeed in clearing away all of the plaque. A professional cleaning tends to be more thorough than self-care at home.
Cleanings are so important because they help to reduce the presence of potentially harmful oral bacteria that is found in plaque and calculus. In this way, semiannual visits to the dentist can decrease a patient’s risk of developing problems like periodontal disease and cavities, both of which are caused by this bacteria.
Patients should also have dental exams at regularly scheduled intervals, typically at the same time as the cleanings. These exams give the dentist an opportunity to identify symptoms at an early stage, when a condition is more easily treated.
Of course, your preventive dental care isn’t limited to the dentist’s office. You play an important role in efforts to ward off gum disease, tooth decay and other oral health issues by closely following the brushing and flossing regimen recommended by your dentist. That, too, will help to keep oral bacteria at manageable levels.
To learn more and to schedule your next exam and professional cleaning in Dallas, contact Travis Walk Dental Care at 214-522-4330 today.