Dentistry is as much about preventing dental problems, as it is about treating them. All dental practices will aim to have you visit as little as possible but to ensure that you can live a healthy life. This can be achieved with check-ups to assess any potential problems and patients following advice on how to maintain the best oral health possible. If you need a dentist in Mackay to assess any of these problems, then do not hesitate to ask your dentist for advice.
Dietary Changes
The first stage of preventing dental problems is your diet. This can have a huge effect on the condition of your teeth. A poor diet can cause decay, discolouration, and even damage to the teeth long term, so it is important to monitor your diet if you are concerned about your dental health. There are foods that can contribute to healthy teeth, particularly ones high in calcium. Fruit and vegetables are also a great option, as they help your body produce saliva more easily, which is a defence against bacteria. On the flipside, there are foods that should be avoided or reduced, mainly those with a high sugar content. Next time you are at your dentist, make sure to ask them for a list of foods, or advice on how you can adjust your diet.
Dental Hygiene
Another early step that can be taken to avoid problems further down the line, is maintaining the correct dental hygiene. This can be achieved simply by brushing twice a day with the correct techniques and flossing once a day. Additional things can be done, such as using mouthwash on top of these things to ensure your oral health is in peak condition.
Professional Oral Hygiene Treatments
If you are concerned about the effectiveness of your own dental hygiene routine or want to ensure that your teeth have been fully cleaned, then most dental practices will offer a professional cleaning service. This will involve a deep clean of all your teeth, to ensure that they are as clean as they can possibly be. It will also give you a starting point to maintain your teeth and know what standard to expect from perfectly clean teeth.
Fissure Sealants
Fissure sealants are a method of filling in the gaps of the teeth to prevent potential tooth decay. This treatment is different to a filling, as no tooth decay has occurred on the tooth. Areas of the teeth that have particularly deep grooves may be a contender for a fissure sealant, as they pose more of a risk of forming cavities, as brushing may not reach them. Fissure sealants are a tooth-coloured resin that are added to the surface of the enamel and used to fill deep grooves in the teeth. They are added after a deep clean of the teeth, and then bonded to the enamel with a curing light, to ensure they are secure. The treatment is also extremely quick and only requires one session.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified practitioner.