Regular, preventive dental procedures from a family dentist are key to preventing oral diseases, maintaining healthy oral health, protecting your teeth from pain, and ensuring your smile can last a lifetime. Preventive dental procedures allow your dentist to monitor your oral health and locate any minor issues before they become painful, expensive issues that can have a long-term impact on your oral health.

Like any other form of preventive care, dental procedures can help protect you and your body from harmful issues that can ultimately be avoided with a few simple steps. Your dentist will help ensure that you are receiving the necessary preventive procedures that are right for you. 

What are preventive dental procedures? 

Preventive dental care is the typical services that you think of when you imagine your annual appointment with your family dentist and include (but are not limited to) the following: 

• Professional cleanings include a few steps but focus on a physical exam, removal of plaque and tartar, and thorough cleaning. The physical exam typically involves a small mirror that’s used to check the inside of your mouth for signs of inflamed gums and other potential issues. Next, the hygienist will remove plaque and tartar buildup using a scaler tool, which often creates a scraping sensation. Finally, you will receive a deep cleaning that involves a gritty toothpaste to deep clean and thorough flossing. 
• Fluoride treatments are used to protect your teeth from cavities and prevent tooth decay. Fluoride is a mineral that helps your teeth stand up to acid and sugars present in our modern diets. 
• X-Rays are a common step preventative dental procedure that allows your dentist to look beyond your mouth tissue to examine your teeth and jaw in feather depth, identifying oral issues that may not be visible to the naked eye. 

Benefits of preventative dental procedures 

Many benefits result from regular preventive oral care. As most dentists will share, this type of care can prevent the progression of minor issues to major, expensive procedures. Issues with oral hygiene are typically caught in these procedures and allow for your dentist to provide corrective behavior, often avoiding the negative impacts that can accompany.

Additionally, dental insurance typically covers preventative care at little or no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. It is common for dental plans to cover two cleanings per year, ensuring that any issues can be caught quickly and monitored by your dentist every six months. A final benefit is the proper habits and oral hygiene that is encouraged by regular care. 

Although many people avoid regular dental appointments, undergoing regular preventative care can ultimately protect you from painful, expensive procedures in the future - and the best part is, your dental insurance usually covers this treatment. Your family dentist is a great resource to ensure that you and your family are receiving the regular, preventive care that will keep your smile shining for many years to come! 

Request an appointment here: https://www.dentistryinredmond.com or call Essence of Dentistry at (425) 885-0200 for an appointment in our Redmond office.