If you visit a dentist regularly for cleanings and exams, you are going for the purpose of preventative dentistry. Preventative dentistry aims to help people prevent problems rather than to treat problems after they occur, and here are several important things you should know about this form of dentistry.

What It Is

The whole purpose of preventative dentistry is to help you to not experience problems with your teeth and mouth. If you compared this to preventative health services, it would be like visiting a doctor each year for a checkup even if you are not having any health problems that you know about. Dentistry is the same way. When you visit a dentist for preventative dental services, it is likely that you are not having any problems that you feel or see, but you are going in for this visit just to make sure there are no major problems.

How It Helps

Preventative dentistry helps you keep a healthier mouth in several ways. First, it involves a deep cleaning of your teeth, which primarily removes the plaque you have on your teeth. Removing this sticky substance will help reduce the risk of developing decay on your teeth, and this is one of the top goals of dentistry. If decay forms on your teeth, you begin to lose portions of your teeth, and you could eventually lose an entire tooth to decay.

This form of dentistry also helps you by spotting small issues in your mouth and treating them before they turn big. Additionally, it can help you learn better techniques for caring for your teeth and gums.

The Benefits It Offers

There are so many benefits of choosing to go to a dentist for preventative services rather than waiting to go until you have problems, and the first benefit is that it may help you keep your teeth longer. Secondly, this form of dentistry can help you prevent gum disease from forming in your mouth. It may also help you prevent enamel erosion and many other problems.

You should also know that when you have plaque, decay, and gum disease in your mouth, it can increase your risks of health problems forming too. This includes heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

If you want to stay healthier overall, you should aim to keep your mouth free of problems, and you can do this by visiting a dentist on a regular basis for preventative dental services.