While general dentistry can fix most dental problems, preventive dentistry prevents these problems from happening in the first place. To know more about dental preventive care in Santa Cruz, CA, visit your dentist, Dr. Mark Ebrahimian of Harbor Dental.
According to The American Dental Association (ADA), you must visit your dentist every six months for check-ups and cleanings. During these regular visits, your dentist will examine you for any possible dental problems. By doing so, any dental problems will be detected in the early stages of the disease, making its treatment easy and less invasive.
The major components of the preventive care program in Santa Cruz, CA, are:
- Home dental care: brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing daily, and eating a healthy diet with low amounts of sugary beverages are recommended for all patients. For patients with a high risk of gum diseases, brushing using toothpaste with proven antimicrobial activity is recommended. Also, limiting tobacco usage and avoiding oral piercings are examples of lifestyle changes that will help.
- Regular dental visits: must be done every six months. During these visits, your dentist performs a general examination of your mouth. These examinations are necessary for detecting any signs of dental problems to treat them before they worsen and become harder to treat.
- Professional cleaning: after the oral examination, your dentist will remove the tartar and plaque, if present. Using a scaler, your dentist will remove the plaque and tartar around your gum line and between your teeth. Brushing and flossing can stop plaque from building up and becoming tartar. Once the tartar is built up, it has to be removed by the dentist.
- Oral cancer screening: an examination performed by your dentist in each visit to detect any signs of cancer in your mouth. The importance of oral cancer screening is detecting mouth cancer early, improving the chances of successful treatment.
- Oral care for the elderly: regular visits are super necessary for the elderly. In these visits, your dentist will check if you are using your dentures in the right way, and maintaining proper cleaning and oral hygiene. Also, your doctor will give you some tips and pieces of advice that will help you.
Don’t ignore your dental visits. Contact Dr. Ebrahimian of Dental Harbor to get the best preventive care protocols in Santa Cruz, CA. Call (831) 458-3368 and book your appointment today