Preventative Care

Prevention is the key to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. That’s why we offer a full range of preventative care services, including comprehensive exams, oral cancer screening, X-rays, cleanings, sealants, and more.

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What Is Preventative Dentistry?

Preventative dental care is the foundation of good oral health. It involves regular check-ups, cleanings, and proactive measures to prevent dental issues before they arise or become more severe. By prioritizing preventive care, you can maintain a healthy, confident smile while avoiding costly and invasive treatments down the line.

Regular dental visits allow our team to monitor the condition of your teeth and gums closely, identifying potential problems early on. With professional cleanings, personalized guidance on proper oral hygiene techniques, diet recommendations, and any necessary preventive treatments, such as fluoride applications or dental sealants, you can significantly reduce your risk of developing cavities, gum disease, and other oral health issues, ultimately saving you time, money, and discomfort in the long run.

The Importance Of Preventative Care

Preventative dental care is essential for maintaining excellent oral health and avoiding complex treatments down the road. Regular check-ups and cleanings allow your dentist to detect early signs of tooth decay, gum disease, and even oral cancer, addressing potential issues before they escalate.

Digital X-rays

The dentist will perform comprehensive dental X-rays to check for decay, cavities, cysts, tumors, bone loss, and other potential issues. X-rays will also allow the dentist to map tooth and root positions to monitor changes over time. X-rays also give dentists a visual reference to explain conditions and treatment options to patients better.

Oral Exam:

During the oral examination, your dentist will inspect your teeth for signs of decay and assess the condition of previous restorations, including fillings, bridges, crowns, and implants. If the dentist finds a potential issue, they will recommend the best way to correct it.

Gum Disease Screening:

Your hygienist will inspect your gums and the bones around your teeth for any signs of gum disease. They will conduct testing with a periodontal probe, a small measuring stick that can determine pocket depth. While healthy depths measure 1 to 3 millimeters, larger numbers can indicate pockets of infection requiring treatment.

Oral Cancer Screening:

Early detection is essential to promoting positive outcomes since oral cancer can go unnoticed for years before obvious symptoms arise. With this in mind, your dentist will inspect your oral tissue—including your mouth, gums, tongue, lips, and neck—for any lumps, lesions, or discolorations that could be signs of oral cancer. If the dentist suspects a potential issue, they may suggest a biopsy to test suspicious tissue for cancer cells.

Is Preventative Care Right For Me?

Preventive dental care is beneficial for people of all ages. For children, preventive care helps ensure proper dental development and establishes good oral hygiene habits early on. Regular check-ups and cleanings, along with treatments like fluoride varnishes and dental sealants, can protect young teeth from cavities and decay.

Adults often lead busy lives, but neglecting preventive dental care can lead to issues like cavities, gum disease, and even tooth loss. In addition, as we age, our risk for certain dental problems increases. Preventive care is crucial for seniors, helping to maintain natural teeth, identify oral cancer, and manage issues like dry mouth or ill-fitting dentures.

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Enhance Your Smile

Schedule a consultation at Gentle Dental to explore options for enhancing your smile and improving your oral health.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I get preventative care?

For most people, the standard recommendation is a preventive care visit every six months for an exam and professional cleaning. However, your dentist may suggest more frequent visits if you have certain risk factors, like a history of gum disease or cavities.

Does insurance cover preventive dental care?

Most dental insurance plans fully or partially cover preventive services like exams, cleanings, and basic X-rays to encourage preventive care. Coverage levels vary, so check the details of your specific plan.

What preventive treatments help protect teeth?

Common preventive treatments include fluoride varnishes or gels to strengthen enamel, dental sealants to cover deep grooves, and oral cancer screenings. Your dentist may also provide diet counseling, oral hygiene instruction, and other personalized preventive guidance.

What is oral cancer?

Oral cancer is not a single condition but a term that describes cancers that affect the mouth, lips, tongue, sinuses, and throat. While there is evidence that certain lifestyle factors, such as tobacco use, heavy drinking, and even sun exposure, can contribute to the development of oral cancer, many people who are living with this condition are non-smokers and are only occasional drinkers of alcohol.

How can an oral cancer screening save my life?

When it comes to surviving oral cancer, early detection is essential. When discovered early, oral cancers can have an 80-90 percent survival rate. Unfortunately, oral cancer is often not detected until it has reached an advanced stage. At that point, the survival rate can dip to as low as 20-30 percent. Our dentists are committed to increasing survival rates through early detection. That’s why our offices include oral cancer screening as part of our regular examinations to all patients.

Is oral cancer screening painful?

No. Cancer screening involves a visual inspection of your mouth, throat, and gums and manual palpitations of these areas. A biopsy may be necessary if your dentist notices anything suspicious or unusual.

How often should I undergo an oral cancer screening?

Our teams of dentists recommend annual screenings for adults over the age of 18. Those with known risk factors, such as tobacco use, should receive more frequent screening. The screening itself is painless and consists of a three-to-five-minute exam.

In addition to undergoing regular screenings, we also recommend contacting your dentist promptly if you experience any of the following symptoms:

Sores that don’t heal after 14 days
Unusual lumps or discolorations in your mouth
Unusual pain or difficulty in chewing, talking, or swallowing
Wart-like masses
Prolonged hoarseness
Numbness in or around the mouth and jaw

How can I get an oral cancer screening?

We offer oral cancer screening as part of our regular examinations. If you have a risk factor for oral cancer, you can always call for an appointment. Our professional office staff is happy to schedule your screening at a time that is convenient for you, with evening and weekend appointments available.