The Importance of Preventive Dental Care 

If you do an online search to see how many people brush their teeth twice a day as recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA) versus not adhering to this guideline, you might find yourself shocked by the results. Amazingly, studies show that 49 percent of men and 57 percent of women report they brush their teeth only once a day.

Just as we’ve learned during the current COVID-19 pandemic how important hand-washing and other healthcare practices are in fighting the virus, the same is true concerning preventive dentistry. Through preventive dental care, we can fight gum disease, tooth loss, and other health concerns such as diabetes and heart conditions.

Even if you are in the percentage of people who brush their teeth twice a day, floss once a day, and use an excellent antibacterial mouthwash; there’s more that you can do. Adhering to a regular schedule of dental exams and professional teeth cleaning appointments is as important as sticking to annual physicals.

A Good Analogy

When you visit your doctor for a physical, imaging, or lab work, one of the things they screen for is early signs of cancer. Most people find immediate comfort in knowing that they’ve taken this proactive step against a potentially deadly condition.

But did you know that when you visit our dentists for your oral health exams and professional teeth cleaning, they will also perform a visual oral cancer screening? And since oral cancer can affect individuals who have never smoked before, having this exam is a great way to achieve peace of mind that you’ve taken steps to safeguard against this type of cancer, just as you do for other forms of cancer.

Should any indications of oral cancer be present, treating it in its early stages is just as effective as being able to treat breast, lung, prostate, and all other forms of cancer. And the best part of a visual oral cancer screening from our dentists is that it’s included in your exam without needing to schedule a stand-alone appointment. If, however, you are experiencing any unusual symptoms in your mouth or on your gums, our team can always perform a separate screening independent of your routine exam or cleaning.

Whole Body Health

If it’s been more than six months since your last dental exam or professional teeth cleaning, we encourage you to schedule an appointment now to get back on track with the health of your whole body.