Preventive Dental Care NYC

Maintaining the health of your teeth is of utmost importance if you want to avoid costly dental work and decaying teeth in your future. Luckily, modern dentistry has come a long way in both treating oral issues and teaching patients ways to prevent oral issues.

With regular preventative care, you can avoid tooth loss and keep your mouth in the best condition possible so that as you age, your teeth maintain their health and stability.

Common Preventative Care Options

The best way to keep your teeth healthy schedule routine dental exams every six months, per the American Dental Association’s (ADA) recommendation. These exams usually involve the following components:

• Teeth Cleaning – This procedure, known as prophylaxis, is completed with a set of tools that can scrape away built-up plaque, tarter, and bacteria that can lead to tooth rot, gum disease, gingivitis, and halitosis.

If you have a history of gum disease, you might need to undergo extensive deep cleaning, referred to as scaling and root planing. Additionally, teeth cleanings are an opportunity to diagnose and detect other potentially serious mouth conditions.

• X-Rays – Performing x-rays can help your NYC dentist see if any bacteria is forming behind gums and in the roots of your teeth. This can ensure we can identify and clear the bacteria before it causes decay.

For new patients, your dental professional will more than likely conduct diagnostic radiographs of your mouth to have a visual of what your mouth looks like beneath the gums. Existing patients can expect x-rays to be performed on a yearly basis.

• Mouth Guards – There are a couple different mouth guards you might be interested in: those designed for sports and those to be worn at night.

Sports guards are built to fit the mouths of the individuals who will be using them to protect their teeth from damage during sports activities. Night guards are most frequently used to protect teeth from grinding at night, which can cause headaches, chronic pain in the jaw, and sometimes a clicking noise when you yawn or chew.

• Assessment of Teeth and Gums – A dentist will examine your teeth and gums to check for sensitivity, cavities, and other potential abnormalities that might be visible.

This exam will allow them to determine whether there are signs of decay or other dental diseases. During this exam, we may go over components of optimum dental health, such as brushing and flossing daily; and things that should be avoided, such as smoking and poor nutrition.

• Screening for Oral Cancer –  Cancers that can affect the mouth can become deadly when they aren’t properly diagnosed and treated. With many components such as the gums, teeth, tissues, and tongue able to become cancerous, regular screenings can help make early diagnosis and treatment possible.

If you’ve noticed white or blotchy patches in your mouth, sores, pain when swallowing, recurring sore throats, numbness, bleeding, or lumps, you should consider scheduling an oral cancer screening as soon as possible.

• Pediatric Dentistry – Good oral healthcare begins when your child cuts their first tooth. At your first appointment with your child, your dentist will begin by taking a medical history that will serve as a screening for diseases that often coincide with dental diseases.

Then, they will visually examine the teeth and gums for signs of decay. You can expect to be taught how to care for your child’s teeth, which includes how to floss and brush baby teeth and which toothpaste and toothbrushes to use for optimum dental health.

• Sleep Appliances – For individuals who grind their teeth at night, or those who have sleep apnea, preventative dental care includes obtaining the appliances necessary to prevent your condition from doing damage to your mouth. This might include mouth guards, anti-snoring devices, and even CPAP machines—all which can be provided by your preventative care dentist.

We also offer other preventative options including fluoride treatments and the application of sealants. Fluoride treatments can aid in the prevention of tooth decay by building up the teeth’s resistance to plaque and sugar that can cause rotting.

Dental sealants are also a great option in the prevention of tooth decay. By applying a clear seal coating to the teeth, plaque, calculus and food are unable to set in to the crevices and grooves of your teeth. This can be particularly helpful in children who have, in recent years, become more susceptible to cavities.

Why Preventative Care Is Essential For Your Family

Taking measures to ensure the health and integrity of your teeth and those of your family is the best way to protect their mouths from future issues. Children especially are at an increased risk for tooth decay and bacteria formation due to their inexperience in proper brushing techniques and flossing.

When you schedule regular dental examinations and choose quality preventative measures such as the ones listed above, you are doing your part to build a strong structural foundation for the teeth and gums of your family. These options can help patients avoid gum disease, the need for cavity fillings, root canals, or tooth extraction.

The Cost of Quality Dental Care

The amount that you’ll pay for preventative dental care will largely depend on the type of care you are receiving. For instance, if you’re visiting our office for a routine cleaning, you can expect to pay far less than someone who came in to be fitted for a sleep appliance. In many cases, your health insurance will be able to cover a significant portion of your costs.

Our office accepts all major credit cards, and in some cases will have financing options available. For more information regarding the costs of your preventative care, reach out to our office as well as your health insurance provider.

Work with a Preventative Care Dentist

If you’re ready to take control of you and your family’s oral health, contact New York Dentist today to discuss your preventative dental care options. You can schedule your dental appointment by filling out the appointment request form on this page or by giving us a call at 555-555-5555.