Preventing dental problems is truly the best way to go. Many patients have heard me say something like……”OK, I know I am a dentist. However, the best thing you can do is to prevent having dental work done in the first place.” I am being totally honest here. Having dental work done involves a frequency of repair or a frequency of replacement. No matter how good your dentist is, and not matter how well you care for your teeth, something is going to happen to the dental work at some point. So, with that said, am I saying NOT to have dental work done? NO, I am NOT saying that. If there is a problem or a potential for a problem, it needs to be addressed. But still the best thing is to prevent dental problems. I have come up with a few bullet points on just that; how to prevent dental problems:
- Have your dental work done by a reputable dentist. If you have a dental plan with a listing of dentists, there is still no guarantee of their ability. Those dentists have simply signed a contract to accept the fees dictated by the dental insurance company in exchange for marketing their office. The best way to find a reputable dentist would be to search online for patient reviews of particular dentists and to ask trusted friends.
- Make sure you are adequately cleaning your teeth and gums with brushing and flossing.
- Consider potential damage you may be doing with eating and drinking between meals. Are you brushing or at least rinsing with water afterwards? Are these foods sticky? Is there a high acid or sugar content?
- If you clench or grind overnight, a night guard would be best recommended.
- Unreplaced missing teeth may allow other teeth to drift. This drifting can cause other problems.
- Consider having a special oral cancer screening test done annually. Potential oral cancer signs can be detected earlier.
- Maintain your recommended preventive visit intervals with your dentist. For most all patients this can range anywhere from 3-6 months.
While I cannot guarantee that all will be fine if you follow this list, I can confidently state that you can minimize problems if you did. If we can interest you in visiting my office we would welcome your calling us at (972) 250-2580 or by contacting us in any other manner you see available on this web page.