Will cavity prevention become more difficult as you age? Can a change in your daily routine make you more vulnerable to problems with decay? How do your regular dental exams impact your risks for problems? It is good to question your efforts to protect your smile, but without the right information, those questions can just lead to frustration. One important thing to remember is that your regular dental visits do help you avoid issues with cavities. At our Rochester, MN dentist’s office, we provide thorough care in the form of cleanings and reviews of your oral health. These visits can lead to protection, but they can also ensure that any cavity troubles you experience are dealt with before complications arise.
Are You Really Keeping Yourself Safe From Tooth Decay?
If your regular smile care routine has not changed, why would your risk for tooth decay change? The short answer is that your vulnerability to cavities is affected by multiple factors. Enamel erosion, diet changes, and an interruption in preventive care can all affect your ability to avoid oral health issues. Putting off preventive care can be particularly troubling. In addition to robbing you of regular teeth cleanings, going without care means that a cavity can form and go untreated until your tooth becomes infected!
The Role Preventive Dental Care Plays In Preventing Cavities
Routine dental visits provide reviews that inform you of the state of your oral health, and they also provide cleanings from your hygienist that help you avoid trouble with cavities and gum disease. What makes these cleanings so important? One thing to remember is that you can prevent tartar formation, but you cannot remove tartar deposits when you brush and floss. If any of these deposits do form, they will leave you at elevated risk for problems until they are dealt with by your hygienist.
It may be disappointing to learn that you have a cavity during a dental visit, but remember that early detection is beneficial. Without prompt care, you can experience complications from decay over time that lead to an infection requiring root canal therapy!
Actions You Can Take Between Appointments To Protect Your Teeth
The work you put into caring for your smile between visits is certainly still important. Consistently brushing and flossing will be important, but consider the following to make sure your teeth are receiving the right kind of support:
- Replace a toothbrush after three months, or even sooner if its bristles look worn down
- When you floss, you need to move the string in a vertical motion to fight plaque and tartar buildup at the base of teeth
- A change in your diet can affect your cavity risk; sugary and acidic products can make you more vulnerable to trouble
- Staying hydrated by drinking water will help you wash away food debris and produce saliva to protect teeth
Talk To Your Rochester, MN Dentist’s Office About Better Cavity Prevention
The right approach to preventive dental care can have lasting benefits! To learn how we can protect your smile, call Calcagno Cosmetic And Family Dentistry in Rochester, MN at (507) 281-3659.
