Exceptional Preventive Dental Care in Washington Court House
Proactive dental care is the key to maintaining a lasting, healthy smile. That’s why at Washington Court House Dental, preventative dentistry is at the core of our practice. Our preventive dental services are designed to keep your teeth healthy so that you can maintain your natural smile for as long as possible. Led by Dr. Michael Pappas, DDS, and Dr. Taylor Landgraf, our team is committed to providing you and your family comprehensive dental care to help you achieve the healthy smile you deserve.
Importance of Preventative Dentistry?
Preventative dentistry is dental care that helps maintain optimal oral health. It combines at-home oral hygiene and in-office dental services important for oral and overall health. Our preventive dental services offer several benefits, including:
- Lowers risk for dental problems like cavities, gingivitis, and periodontitis.
- Promotes good oral hygiene habits such as flossing and brushing.
- Early identification of dental problems: Our dental team can detect and treat oral health issues when they’re still minor and easily treatable.
- Reduces cost: Preventive dentistry reduces your need for costly treatments such as dental implants, root canals, or fillings.
- Helps minimize treatment: Being proactive about dental care helps you maintain healthier teeth and gums, making you less likely to need restorative treatments due to gum disease or tooth decay.
Common Preventive Dental Services
At Washington Court House Dental, we provide a range of preventive dental services such as:
- Teeth Cleanings: While regular brushing and flossing help remove food particles, it doesn’t eliminate them. With time, these particles accumulate, resulting in plaque and tartar, which can only be removed through expert cleaning. We use a high-powered electric brush and gritty toothpaste to brush your teeth and remove plaque and tartar. We also expertly floss your teeth and polish them to ensure you go home with a set of white, healthy teeth.
- Dental Exams: When you come in for a dental exam, our team will thoroughly examine your mouth, teeth, gums, tongue, jaws, throat, and neck to look for signs of gum disease, cavities, oral cancer, and other oral health conditions. We’ll then develop a personalized treatment plan for any problem found.
- Fluoride Treatments: Fluoride treatments work by inhibiting the growth of harmful oral bacteria and restoring minerals to your tooth surfaces, which strengthens your teeth and prevents dental cavities. At Washington Court House Dental, our fluoride treatments are highly effective and only take a few minutes to apply.
- X-Rays: We also carry out X-rays to get a more in-depth look at your mouth for signs of dental problems not visible to the naked eye, for example, problems below the gum line.
At-Home Preventive Dental Care
Much of your preventive dental care starts with you. At Washington Court House Dental, we strongly encourage all our patients to maintain a good oral health hygiene routine at home. Here are three simple but highly effective at-home dental care tips to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
- Daily Brushing: This is the most crucial part of preventive dental care. Brushing your teeth daily helps remove plaque, which is the primary cause of tooth decay and gum disease. Brush your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled brush, and don’t forget to brush your tongue as well to remove bacteria and freshen your breath. You should also replace your toothbrush three to four times per year.
- Flossing: Brushing alone only cleans up to about 60% of the surface of your teeth. Daily flossing helps clean out food and debris from the tight spaces between your teeth that your toothbrush can’t reach. If you have braces, you may have to use floss threaders to get between the metal brackets. It’s also important to ensure you’re flossing correctly, so when you come in for your dental visit, don’t hesitate to ask our dental hygienist to give you a flossing demonstration.
- Fluoride Mouthwash: Rinse your mouth after flossing with a fluoride mouthwash to remove food particles. Using fluoride mouthwash will strengthen your teeth and make them more resistant to decay caused by acid and bacteria. Fluoride mouthwash and brushing twice daily, and flossing daily will help prevent decay and plaque build-up and keep your smile healthy.
Cost of Preventive Dental Care Services
Depending on your dental plan, preventive dental services may be covered 100%. However, there are usually limits on how many of these services you can get each year, and if you exceed those limits, you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket for the services. So be sure to understand the details of your dental coverage.
Achieve a Healthy Smile at Washington Court House Dental
At Washington Court House Dental, we understand how important preventive dental care is to your oral health and overall well-being. Our experienced and compassionate team is committed to providing comprehensive dental care to help you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile. If you’re looking for a skilled dentist in Washington Court House, OH, contact us today to schedule an appointment.
