Practice Prevention to Protect Your Teeth

Keeping your mouth healthy starts with the basics.

Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time. Floss between your teeth and gums once each day. Visit the dentist at least twice a year for professional cleanings.

These are the foundation of preventive dental care

If you want to go beyond the basics, if you want comprehensive dental care, then you can visit Holladay Dental Studio if you live in or near Salt Lake City, then you can visit.

Our dentist, Dr. Ericksen, and rest of our team will go above and beyond to help you and your family keep your mouths as healthy as possible.

Today, we will discuss some of the other preventive services we offer in addition to routine cleanings.

Fighting Back

In many sports, coaches will say that the best defense is a good offense. This is true in dentistry as well. The more proactive you are about maintaining your oral health, the less likely you are to experience tooth decay, gum disease, or tooth loss.

You can’t completely eliminate your risk, but you can greatly reduce it by following the preventive recommendations (mentioned above) of the American Dental Association.

If you want further reduce your risk of oral health problems, consider any of these other services:

Examinations

When you come to our office for a routine cleaning, we also provide a thorough examination. Every time, we hope we are able to tell you that everything looks great, but we also know that doesn’t mean everything is perfect.

If we see symptoms of gum disease or tooth decay, we may recommend further treatment. By addressing any issues as early as you can, you often can prevent them from developing into bigger problems.

This is one of the reasons that X-rays are a routine part of your visits to our office. This allows us to watch for changes in the alignment of your teeth. This is particularly important for children whose adult teeth or wisdom teeth are erupting.

Fluoride treatments

Unfortunately, some people have been misinformed about fluoride. The ADA recommends using a fluoride toothpaste for good reasons. Fluoride treatments build on the benefits you receive from daily brushing to make your teeth even stronger.

Fluoride is a mineral. When it is applied to your teeth, it can repair minor damage to your protective enamel (the outer layer of your teeth). Fluoride also can strengthen enamel to make it more effective at its job.

Mouthguards

Mouthguards are especially helpful for individuals who grind their teeth together. Many people do this in their sleep without being aware that it is happening. This could lead to TMJ problems that can cause headaches, earaches, and pain in the jaw, neck, back, and shoulders.

We can design a mouthguard that will prevent you from grinding your teeth together. This will protect your teeth, and in most cases, it will alleviate the pains you may be experiencing.

Another kind of mouthguard to consider is an athletic mouthguard. These should be worn during any and all high-impact sports. These include contact sports like football, but it also includes basketball, volleyball, soccer, and any other sports that involve quick changes of direction, jumping, or big impacts on your joints.

Nutritional counseling

It probably won’t surprise you to learn that the things that we eat and drink affect our oral health just as they affect our overall health. Our staff will be happy to answer any questions you have about foods that may increase your risk of cavities and how you can reduce those risks.

Sealants

Dental sealants are typically applied to your molars. These are the flatter teeth in the back of your mouth. You use these teeth to grind your food into smaller pieces that are easier to swallow.

Your molars are the teeth most likely to develop cavities, in part because of the time they are in contact with your food and in part because of the crevices in those teeth.

Sealants can be applied over your molars. This preserves their functionality while providing an extra layer of protection against bacteria and plaque.

Take Charge Of Your Oral Health

As far as your mouth is concerned, you are the captain of the team. The steps you take to prevent problems (brushing, flossing, professional cleanings, and other services) will dictate how healthy your mouth will be for years to come.

Our team at Holladay Dental Studio is ready and willing to help you. Our dentist office is a short drive from Salt Lake City. Call us at 801-997-1137 or fill out our online form to make an appointment.

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