Your car’s regular oil change isn’t too different than having your teeth cleaned at the dentist. An oil change is essential--it keeps sludge from building up, slowing you down or interfering with your daily life. The same goes for your six month dentist appointment! Seeing the dentist to remove sticky, sludge-like plaque is one of the easiest--and least expensive--ways to keep you feeling in tip-top shape.
Do I Have To Visit The Dentist?
Owning a car isn’t the same as knowing how all the bolts and wires work. If your car is struggling to start up, chances are you wouldn’t try to fix it yourself-- you’d want to rely on a professional, who had the right tools and experience to give your care a healthy tune-up.
This is where the professional comes in: your dentist. He or she has the proper tools and techniques for safely and effectively removing plaque from your teeth. If left untreated, this buildup can introduce a host of problems ranging from gum disease to tooth decay to even bone loss in more extreme cases! Treating these dental issues keeps costs low, and your smile healthy.
What You Can Do In Between Dentist Visits
This may seem obvious, but the better condition you keep your teeth in, the better your visits at the dentist will go! If there isn’t much for the dentist to do other than give your teeth a thorough cleaning and polish, you will likely skip in and out of that office, whistling, every six months. So what can you do to maintain your teeth in between professional checkups?
Eat foods that are healthy for your teeth. The second you start eating, changes in your mouth start happening. The bacteria in your mouth will convert carbs and sugars into acids that attack the tooth enamel and begin the decay process.
Sugary sodas and junk food don’t do your pearly whites any favors! Eat crunchy vegetables to not only clear away debris on your teeth but stimulate saliva production as well. Saliva helps wash away bacteria and debris. Foods high in calcium like milk and cheese are incredibly beneficial for our enamel, too.Stop smoking! Aside from all of the other detrimental effects it has on your health, it also stains your teeth, increases risks for gum disease and tooth loss, and has been linked to cancer in the mouth.
Drink a large amount of water throughout the day. Without the steady flow of saliva to neutralize acids and flush out debris, bacteria builds up. Not drinking enough water creates an arid environment in your mouth, which is a breeding ground for odorous bacteria!
Back to our original topic: how the dentist will change the oil in your mouth. Wait, no...how the maintenance needed to keep your car in perfect condition is akin to the attention you need to give to your teeth and gums.
Preventive Dental Treatments for Children
Keeping little mouths cavity free is one of the top priorities for dentists and parents alike!
Dental sealants and fluorides are excellent options for boosting the strength of your children’s teeth and protecting them from decay.
Preventive Dental Treatments for Adults
In addition to the fluoride and sealant treatments mentioned above, adults also have the option of restorative dental care such as gum care, fillings and crowns, and tooth replacement with dentures or dental implants.
When a tooth is not replaced, the teeth begin to shift and slip, introducing new dental problems. By using a dental implant to replace a missing tooth or one that is damaged beyond repair, it acts as a placeholder in the jaw so that the adjacent teeth stay in place. It can even change the shape of your face!
Does Your Smile Need A Repair?
At Honest Teeth, we believe that taking a proactive approach to your dental care can halt small dental issues from becoming big or expensive problems. From teeth whitening and Invisalign to crowns and bridges, we take great pride in delivering gentle, high quality dental care that will keep you in excellent oral health.
Preventive Dentistry in Wisconsin
Call our office in Elm Grove today at (262) 784-7770 so we can help ensure that your healthy smile lasts a lifetime!