Avoiding Time in the Dentist Chair

Beyond the fear of pain and dental drills is a much bigger fear. This is the fear of not being able to pay for dental care when you need it most. It’s unfortunate that some Americans avoid going to the dentist altogether because they’re worried about how much it’ll cost. In reality, receiving preventive dental care is one of the best ways you can save money in the long run.

Our dentists in Westerville, OH are able to detect oral health issues in their early stages so you can avoid expensive (and invasive) treatments. Continue reading to learn how to avoid time in the dentist’s chair.

Do You Really Need to Go to the Dentist Every 6 Months?

By skipping your next dentist appointment, you’re also skipping an opportunity for our dentists to detect the beginning signs of tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health issues. Even if you take excellent care of your teeth at home, our dentists will be able to spot issues you can’t by taking X-rays and performing oral cancer screenings. This is why it’s important to see us every 6 months for your routine teeth cleaning and oral examination.

How Can I Improve My Oral Health?

• See our dentists every 6 months for preventive dental care
• Brush your teeth twice a day
• Floss your teeth once a day
• Drink fluoridated water
• Avoid foods that are high in sugar

Don’t Skip Preventive Dental Care

There are many people who don’t like the dentist and yet, take such little care of their oral health that they end up having to make frequent trips to the dentist to repair damage to their teeth.

To avoid prolonged visits to our dental office, make sure you visit our family dentists every 6 months for a teeth cleaning and oral examination. By routinely visiting our dentists, you will learn about problems before they are serious. This helps prevent costly restorative treatments to repair damage that could have been prevented in the first place.

Brush Your Teeth Twice Daily

It’s important you brush your teeth twice a day to remove plaque. For the best results, brush for 2 minutes with a soft-bristled toothbrush. You don’t have to brush very hard. In fact, doing this can make your teeth more sensitive to hot and cold foods. Instead, use gentle circular motions as you clean around each tooth.

Floss Your Teeth Once Daily

Plaque likes to hide where toothbrush bristles can’t reach. This is why it’s important you floss your teeth at least once a day. (We recommend before bedtime.) That way, you’ll be able to remove plaque and food particles trapped in the tiny spaces between your teeth.

Drink Fluoridated Water

Enamel is the white outer layer of your tooth that protects the more sensitive layer of dentin beneath. For this reason, it’s important that you make sure your enamel doesn’t lose minerals over time. Drinking fluoridated water is a great way to strengthen your tooth enamel, increasing its resistance to cavities over time. In fact, communities with fluoridated water supplies tend to have lower rates of tooth decay.

Avoid Sugary Foods

Do you like eating donuts, chocolate, and other sugary foods? If so, you’re not alone. The dental plaque that lives inside your mouth LOVES sugar. Plaque is an invisible film of bacteria that sticks to your teeth and gums. As plaque consumes sugar, it produces an acid that erodes away your natural tooth structure. While a certain amount of plaque is unavoidable, you can avoid sugary foods so you’re not rolling out the welcome mat for bacteria.

If left untreated, plaque buildup leads to tooth decay and gum disease. This is why we recommend seeing our dentists every 6 months for your routine teeth cleanings. Over time, plaque hardens into what we call tartar. While you can remove plaque at home, only a dental professional can remove tartar with special tools.

Our dentists in Westerville, OH provide preventive dental care to help you maintain a beautiful, healthy smile. To request an appointment with Westerville Dental Associates, call (614) 882-1135.