PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY IN KATY TX

When it comes to Preventive Dentistry, there’s a lot of truth to the proverb, ”An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure…”.

Preventive Dentistry and dental care requires that patients share in the responsibility to maintain their dental health. To do so, patients should brush regularly, floss, avoid sugary food and drinks, and maintain regular dental checkups.
In doing so, patients can make a big difference in determining their dental health and also directly avoid the expense of dental restoration procedures to address tooth decay and gum disease.
Depending upon your dental health, Grand Parkway Smiles Dentistry will recommend a practical program for dental maintenance and care.

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 Sealants

Dental sealants can prevent decay by sealing the surface of the teeth with a thin, plastic coating that is applied to the bite surface of the back teeth, usually the premolars and molars.
Grand Parkway Smiles often suggests sealants for young patients who may have naturally deep crevices; practice less than ideal oral hygiene; or often eat high sugar foods.
Dental sealants are quick and easy to apply.  They will typically harden in minutes using a curing light to form a hard, preventive shield over the tooth.

Fluoride

Fluoride strengthens teeth and plays an important role to help guard against tooth decay. Fluoride effectively makes the teeth more resistant to acids which are the by products of bacteria and sugars in the mouth. Fluoride has also been show to reverse early decay. Fluoride is especially important for children under 6 years of age, as this is the time when Fluoride becomes incorporated into the development of the permanent teeth. Fluoride helps to disrupt acid production and accelerates remineralization (hardening) of the teeth.
Fluoride treatments can be directly self-applied by the use of fluoride toothpastes and “over the counter” mouth rinses. Grand Parkway Smiles Dentistry can also apply a higher strength fluoride to the teeth in the office. These high strength treatments will contain a higher level of fluoride than the “over the counter” products that are typically found in retail stores. Grand Parkway Smiles recommends “in-office” fluoride treatments as a component to children’s dental care up through age 16.

Mouth Guards

Mouth guards contribute to the reduction and prevention of oral and head injuries which can occur during physical activities. Grand Parkway Smiles Dentistry recommends to all patients who participate in sports, that they wear a mouth guard for added protection.
In addition to the reduction and prevention of dental and soft tissue injuries to the mouth, mouth guards play a critical role in potentially reducing or preventing concussions sustained in collisions.
There are a number of over the counter mouth guards available at retail sporting goods stores which can be heat molded and worn effectively to accomplish some degree of protection.
In some cases, patients may choose to have Grand Parkway Smiles Dentistry create a custom mouth guard which will be anatomically customized to the patient, creating greater comfort and proper fit. Greater comfort and proper fit will typically result in a higher degree of continued usage, especially for young people.

Dental Home Care

Dental Home Care translates to patients taking an active role to ensure optimum dental health. This includes the basics of daily hygiene, such as brushing, flossing and oral fluoride rinses. Additionally, it is important to understand the role of our diets and how various foods and liquids can impact dental health and hygiene.
When it comes to brushing, it should be done at least two to preferably three times per day. Once after breakfast, again in the afternoon and finally before bed after the final meal (and drinks). A soft bristle brush is recommended which is not too abrasive which enables us to clean the gum area as well as the teeth, comfortably and effectively.
Diet is a key component to avoiding tooth decay. Sugar is not your friend when it comes to preventing tooth decay. Sugary food and drinks will feed bacteria in your mouth, which will in turn produce increased acids that contribute to tooth decay. It is especially important to avoid sugary drinks, dairy products and sugary foods before bedtime, as this is the prime time for bacteria to multiply in the mouth overnight. The bottom line with diet is that the cleaner your diet when it comes to sugar, the less tooth decay issues will prevail. Remember,“… an ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure.”