Achieving excellent oral health is more than just maintaining a beautiful smile. Your teeth and gums are part of your overall wellness and can affect your health and well-being. Complete dental care is needed to ensure that your smile not only looks great, but stays healthy for a lifetime. Here is a dentist’s guide to complete dental care to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile for many years to come.
Four Factors of Complete Dental Care
There are four main factors of complete dental care that can help you maintain a healthy smile: home oral care, checkups, cleanings and repairs. All four are needed to keep your teeth and gums healthy and should be part of your overall wellness plan. Here is a quick synopsis of each factor and how they impact your oral and overall health.
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- Home oral care. Brushing at least twice a day and flossing should be the basic at home care you perform for your smile for complete dental care. Bacteria that can jeopardize your teeth and gums feed off the food debris that are left on your teeth. Brushing and flossing away the food particles keeps these bacteria at bay, helping prevent decay and gum disease that can lead to tooth loss and other health problems.
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- Checkups. Your annual checkups at the dentist are the best way to monitor your oral health and catch dental issues in the early stages. Small amounts of decay or damage to teeth can be identified and treated quickly, protecting your oral health and minimizing more invasive dental treatments.
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- Cleanings. Even if you are meticulous in your home oral care routine, you still should visit your dentist twice a year for professional cleanings. Brushing and flossing can remove most plaque and bacteria from teeth, but not all. Cleanings remove the tartar in difficult to remove places, helping prevent decay and gum disease.
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- Repairs. It is essential to have teeth repaired quickly as part of your complete dental care plan to protect your oral health. If a tooth is cracked or damaged, the outer enamel is often compromised. This can allow bacteria, decay and infection inside the tooth, putting it in jeopardy. Repairs prevent further damage to the tooth and protect your oral health.
Following these four minimal factors for complete dental care can help you protect your teeth and gums. Our team at Angleton Family Dental can help you maintain your beautiful, healthy smile with our comprehensive dental services for your family. Enjoy the benefits of excellent oral health, call and schedule your next cleaning and checkup today.
