At Longmont Pediatric Dentistry, we recommend seeing our patients for exams every 6 months. At these appointments, we not only check for dental decay, but we also check on development, review the importance of proper brushing and flossing, and review a healthy diet. The biggest focus at our office is preventive dentistry.
Preventive dentistry describes all the procedures used to stop tooth decay and other diseases in the earliest stages. The goal is to keep your child as healthy as possible and maintain their natural teeth for life.
Preventive Dentistry Procedures
Preventive dentistry procedures range from the most basic services that have been used successfully for decades, to recent technological innovations. These procedures include:
- Cleanings. This is where dental health starts. There's just no substitute for physically removing disease-causing dental plaque and calculus (tartar) from your teeth — especially in hard-to-reach areas near the gum line. That's why regular professional cleanings are so important to your health.
- Dental Sealants. These invisible plastic coatings fill the tiny grooves in back teeth so they do not become havens for bacteria. They prevent cavities from forming and the need for fillings later on.
- Fluoride. This mineral is readily incorporated into the teeth's mineral structure, thereby making them stronger and more decay-resistant. Fluoride can even reverse tiny cavities that are starting to form. If you are not getting enough from your toothpaste and drinking water, it can be applied directly to your teeth at the dental office.
- Mouthguards. Athletic mouthguards are designed to absorb and distribute the forces of impact and minimize traumatic injury to both the hard and soft tissues of the mouth. In fact, an athlete is 60 times more likely to suffer harm to teeth when not wearing a mouthguard. The best ones are custom-made for you by your dentist.
- Oral Cancer Screenings. Your best chance of surviving oral cancer — a disease that affects not only lifelong smokers but also young non-smokers — is early detection and treatment. Oral cancer screenings are a routine part of every regular dental exam.
- X-Rays. For around a century, dentists have been using x-rays to reveal signs of disease not visible to the naked eye. Now, with CAT scans, they have become three-dimensional and are an indispensable tool to diagnose tooth decay, gum disease, bone density, bone volume and tumors.
Your Role in Preventing Dental Disease
The procedures mentioned above can only be effective if your child comes in to the dental office to take advantage of them. Likewise, the importance of maintaining a good oral hygiene routine at home cannot be overstated. Daily effective brushing and flossing, in combination with a healthy diet, will go a long way toward removing the causes of dental disease and the need for more complex dental treatment.
Call our office at (303) 776-1194 today to book an appointment
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