Jenks Preventative Dental Care
Dental care, just like anything else, is always easier when potential issues can receive treatment during their beginning stages. Because of this, preventative dental care is crucial to both your oral health and the health of your overall body. Preventative care and general dentistry services go hand in hand. These services work together to help our patients avoid any unnecessary dental procedures.
The goal of preventative care is to maintain and promote an optimal level of oral health. Things like x-rays, routine dental exams, professional teeth cleanings, sealants or fillings, and even at-home oral hygiene practices fall under the category of preventative dental care.
Dr. Amelia Hopper, as well as the entire team at Hopper Dental, is passionate about providing our patients with preventative dental care services. By doing so, we can catch potential issues before they arise. This saves our patients time, money, pain, and frustration.
What is Preventative Dental Care?
Preventative dental care is any dentistry service that is done with the goal of maintaining ideal oral health or preventing future ailments. Services such as bi-annual dental exams, x-rays, cleanings, and oral health screenings allow us to diagnose potential ailments.
Treatment for issues such as tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancers is much easier at their on-set. This is why Jenks preventative dental care plays such a large role in our practice.
In addition to the services that we perform within our office, we also strive to train our patients in the proper use of oral hygiene techniques. This equips each patient with the tools they need to practice preventative dental care within the comfort of their own homes between office visits.
Simple tasks such as brushing twice each day, flossing the teeth, and even the use of mouthwash fall under the category of preventative care. It is wise to establish these oral hygiene habits in your daily routine to ensure optimal oral health.
Preventative dental care is usually fully covered by dental insurance. This is because the procedures that fall under this category are considered “essential” to maintaining oral health.
Types of Preventative Dental Care
As discussed above, there are several ways in which Hopper Dental provides preventative dental care to our patients. The services listed below are just a few of the most popular procedures we offer.
Routine Dental Exams
Every individual should receive a routine dental exam bi-annually, approximately once every six months. Not only are these exams the perfect opportunity to brighten up your smile, but they also allow our team to conduct a thorough examination of your teeth, gums, and the surrounding tissue.
Some of the things that we look for during these routine exams are signs of tooth decay which can lead to tooth pain, infection, or the spread of decay to other teeth. We also look for warning signs of gum disease. Gum disease is treatable when we are able to diagnose it in its early stages. However, if it progresses into a more advanced stage, it can cause tooth loss, pain, and increased cost, as it can be a cause for more invasive procedures.
Our team examines the teeth, gums, and the surrounding areas using both visual examinations as well as x-rays when they are necessary to diagnose the overall health of your teeth.
In addition to the things already mentioned, Dr. Hopper also conducts an examination to look for the early signs of oral cancers. As with anything else, oral cancer becomes much harder to successfully treat as it progresses. Symptoms of oral cancer can be hard to notice, making a bi-annual trip for your routine dental exam a great idea.
Sealants & Fillings
We recommend sealants to help to prevent tooth decay. Sealants seal the grooves of the teeth to keep plaque from causing cavities in this area. Fillings treat tooth decay. If we catch cavities early during routine exams we can treat the tooth in the early stages before it becomes painful or more costly.
Oral Hygiene Education
One of the things that the entire team at Hopper Dental is most passionate about is providing our patients with the tools they need to keep their smile healthy between their visits. Because of this, we will always take time to teach each patient proper oral hygiene techniques.
The most important way to perform preventative dental care at home is by brushing your teeth twice each day. Brushing your teeth eliminates excess food, bacteria, and plaque that would otherwise lead to tooth decay or disease. Be sure to brush for two minutes each time to ensure that each tooth is thoroughly cleaned.
In addition to brushing twice each day, it is also important to floss your teeth daily. Although it doesn’t matter what time of day you floss your teeth, it is an important step to eliminating any excess food. Brushing simply does not reach between your teeth. Because of this, food particles or plaque can remain stuck for several days, leading to decay between your teeth or even gum disease.
Practicing proper oral hygiene habits is the best way to prevent the need for involved dental procedures in the future. By establishing these healthy habits early on, you will save yourself time, money, frustration, and discomfort caused by things such as tooth decay or gum disease.
Jenks Preventative Dental Care at Hopper Dental
Hopper Dental is passionate about providing our patients with excellent Jenks preventative dental care. Our patient’s best interest is always at the forefront of our decisions. Because of this, we aim to provide our patients with the tools and techniques they need to ensure healthy teeth.
Personalized dental care is of utmost importance to us. We strive to create an atmosphere that is welcoming yet professional. In this environment, we are able to create individualized care plans that cater to your unique preferences and needs. This focus on our patient’s interests has won us many loyal patients and established us as a pillar in the community.
At Hopper Dental, you can rest assured that the dental needs of both you and your family will always be addressed with care and compassion. Preventing future procedures rather than encouraging them is something that we strive for at our practice.
Contact Hopper Dental today to schedule your next appointment! Remember, it is always easier to prevent a future oral health crisis than to treat it once it arises.