Prevention and Education
Dentistry is known as the “Prevention Profession” because much of the dental disease we treat is preventable. As people live longer and take better care of their oral health, the benefits of maintaining health and preserving teeth become clear. The old model of fixing teeth after they hurt or break, or treating gum disease with surgery and tooth extractions is fading into history. Today, with our ability to detect the signs of breakdown before symptoms occur we can provide comprehensive care that is less invasive, less expensive, and longer-lasting.
Hygiene
Keeping your teeth intact for a lifetime is completely possible in just a few minutes a day for most people. Professional cleanings and exams with your dentist and team will help you understand how to prevent problems. Besides trauma (wear your seat-belt and athletic mouthguard!) the three main causes of damage to teeth and ultimately to tooth loss are:
- Periodontal (gum) disease. Caused by bacteria.
- Tooth decay (cavities) Caused by bacteria.
- Bruxism (tooth wear from rubbing top and bottom teeth together, day or night). Multi-factorial, almost nothing to do with bacteria or oral hygiene.
The first two affect teeth in months or years, while tooth wear takes years or decades to cause damage. If your dentist and team determine you are susceptible to gum disease or cavities, it is essential to understand how to care for your teeth on a daily basis. Here is a bare bones explanation of how to prevent 90% of the problems that occur from bacteria:
At least once in a 24 hour period, completely remove the colony of bacteria known as “plaque” from the teeth with a toothbrush, preferably electric, and something to clean between the teeth, preferably floss. Plaque is the slimy film that builds up on human teeth in 18-48 hours. Most people will feel it on the outside of the teeth with their tongue or lips if they’ve been unable to perform dental hygiene for whatever reason. Some will need to supplement these minimal measures with fluoride application, over the counter or prescription rinses, interdental brushes and other handy gadgets, and possibly in-office treatments. Regular checkups should always include assessment of the effectiveness of your efforts as well as effective and supportive coaching in how to perform proper oral hygiene.
Proper Brushing Techniques
Brushing should be done for 30 seconds prior to flossing to knock out large food particles. Rinse, then floss as discussed in the video and below. Then brush along the gumline, preferably with an electric toothbrush, for 2-4 minutes, paying special attention to the cheek side of the upper molars and the tongue side of the lower teeth and any other place your dental team has identified for you.
Don’t Forget That Floss!
Flossing is more important for many people than daily brushing. Of course, most people brush regularly without much prodding or external inspiration. Flossing is different, because it’s hard to feel the slimy film between the back teeth and therefore needs to be taught in a different way. It’s important to manipulate the floss properly and to use the right type of floss (floss with friction like woven or string floss, not plastic floss) with enough friction that you can get your teeth “squeaky clean” just like the brushing areas.
Holistic Densitry
Promoting Health and Wellness
For many people, holistic dentistry conjures up images of herbal medicines, “all natural” potions to cure dental disease, and a host of alternative remedies that are supposed to help preserve the health of teeth and the mouth with very little professional intervention. In fact, holistic dentistry is much more straightforward and less mysterious than that. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, holistic means “…relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts.”
In our office, we think of this as individualized care; it becomes a patient-centered approach. We treat people; we don’t just fix teeth. Every person is different and every tooth is different. In the past, teeth were treated almost as separate entities, as if they were disposable and replaceable. We now understand the intimate and powerful connection between a healthy dentition and our overall health. Modern dentistry focuses on the prevention of dental disease, the preservation of our natural teeth and the relationship between oral and systemic health.
People with poor oral health are more prone to a host of systemic health problems including heart disease, diabetes and pneumonia. Unhealthy teeth lead to pain, loss of function, poor nutrition, and a decline in general health. Nutrition, genetics, socioeconomic factors, life events, and basic biology all contribute to our ability to maintain balance in the oral cavity and avoid disease. Our job in the dental profession is to translate those principles into an individualized care plan that fits the needs, wants, and desires of each individual we treat.
Patient Education
In our office, we will endeavor to help you understand your specific condition and help you take whatever steps are necessary for you to enjoy a lifetime of healthy smiling and chewing. That process includes:
Examination and Diagnosis
To ensure your ongoing health, we perform a regular inspection of your teeth and gums, an oral hygiene evaluation, oral cancer screening, soft tissue exam, and an analysis of the jaw joints, muscles of chewing, and all the associated structures that determine optimal oral health. Most importantly, we will spend time explaining and showing you what your individual situation is and present you options to help you keep your teeth and mouth as healthy as you want them to be.
Professional Teeth Cleaning
Professional cleanings performed by a licensed hygienist are just as important to your dental health as daily brushing and flossing. In addition to assessing the health of your gum tissue and providing home care instruction, your hygienist will:
- Remove plaque build-up from the surfaces of teeth. Bacteria in the mouth form plaque, which collects on teeth and causes decay, gum disease and gingivitis
- Remove tartar from teeth surfaces. Tartar, or calculus, is plaque that has become so hardened on the teeth that you can not remove it at home. When the deposits are extensive or in difficult to reach areas, the periodontal disease process will begin and progress without treatment, possibly leading to tooth loss.
- Remove surface stains from teeth through polishing
