Undoubtedly, dental and oral health issues are a global health concern. Proper dental care is necessary for healthy teeth, gums, and the entire mouth. The majority of people could benefit from excellent oral care, but not everyone understands how to achieve it. Consulting with a seasoned dentist to examine your dental health and offer recommendations on how to enhance it would be a great place to start.
Your dentist will conduct a comprehensive diagnosis and request digital images of your mouth if necessary to determine whether you are at risk of dental and oral health issues. If so, h/she will recommend appropriate treatment to combat the problem and help you stay on top of your dental and oral health.
At SoCal Dental of Valencia, we understand the importance of great dental and oral health. We can help you prevent cavities and other dental and oral health problems that could compromise the aesthetics of your smile.
What Dental and Oral Health Care is all About
Dental care is typically any service that diagnoses, treats, or prevents dental illness, injury, or disease. Your dental and oral health can affect your overall health. The likelihood of developing dental problems increases when you refuse to maintain a good oral care regimen. Therefore, you cannot overlook the importance of excellent dental health.
Your dentist can help answer any questions you have about your dental and oral health. Here is an overview of the three primary types of dental and oral health care:
Preventive Dental Care
Scheduling regular dental appointments is a crucial preventive step towards maintaining excellent oral health. During your regular dental appointment, your dentist will perform a thorough diagnosis of your mouth to evaluate your dental and oral health. The diagnosis could involve:
- Visual examination
- X-rays
- Oral cancer screening
- Jaw and bite evaluation
- Gum health examination to determine whether you are at risk of cavities, gum disease, and other health issues.
If you are at risk of a dental health issue, your dentist will recommend appropriate treatment to manage it. Professional oral health cleaning is another common service provided by dental hygienists during routine dental visits. The process involves removing plaque and tartar buildup from the surface of your teeth to help keep cavities and gum disease at bay.
Your dentist or dental hygienist focuses on cleaning areas that are challenging to reach or brush during your routine flossing and brushing, leaving your teeth feeling polished and smooth.
Restorative Dental Care
No matter how keen you are on doing everything you can to maintain your dental and oral health, at some point in your life, you may require restorative dental treatment. The primary goal of restorative dentistry is to help restore the functions and appearance of your smile. You could be an excellent candidate for restorative dental care if you have a:
- Severely damaged tooth
- Knocked out a tooth
- Chipped or cracked tooth
- A deep cavity in your tooth
Depending on your unique dental health issue and its severity, your dentist could recommend any of the following restorative treatments:
- Gum recontouring
- Dental implants
- Dental bridges
- Root canal therapy
- Dental crowns
- Tooth-colored dental fillings
- Porcelain veneers
Dental Cosmetics
While some are born with perfect smiles, not everyone is lucky enough to have one. However, with cosmetic dentistry, you can achieve the smile you have always wanted. Cosmetic dentistry procedures can help fix chipped, discolored, stained, gapped, or misaligned teeth to improve the aesthetics of your smile.
Depending on your unique condition, your dentist could recommend any of the following common cosmetic dental procedures:
- Veneers
- Dental bonding
- Teeth whitening
- Dental crowns
- Gum contouring
- Orthodontic treatment, like braces and Invisalign
In addition to improving the appearance of your smile, cosmetic dentistry can significantly boost your confidence and self-esteem
Signs and Symptoms That You Should Schedule a Dental Appointment
Preventive dentistry is key to maintaining your oral health. It reduces your chances of developing common dental and oral health issues, including gum disease and cavities. To that end, here are seven signs that you should schedule an appointment with your dentist:
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You Have Tooth Sensitivity
A sudden sensitivity after sipping a cup of a cold or warm beverage is not just an annoyance but also a signal. Our bodies signal when a problem arises, and tooth sensitivity is one way this happens.
While toothpaste brands for tooth sensitivity can help alleviate the problem, consulting with a dentist to determine the underlying cause is critical. Tooth sensitivity and pain could be signs of infection, gum disease, or tooth decay. If left unchecked, this issue could worsen, leading to severe complications that necessitate costly treatments.
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Bleeding or Swollen Gums
While your teeth may occasionally bleed when brushing, persistent bleeding, or bleeding even when you are not brushing or flossing, could be a symptom of an underlying oral health problem, including gingivitis. If you have swollen, red, or bleeding gums, you should consult a dentist as soon as possible to help determine the cause.
When left unchecked, gingivitis could progress to severe stages (periodontitis) and even lead to the loss of your teeth.
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Shifted or Misaligned Teeth
Unlike milk teeth, permanent teeth do not fall off, and you will live with them. Therefore, when you notice any tooth has shifted out of alignment, you should inform your dentist about the abnormality as soon as possible. Your teeth could shift out of alignment for various reasons, including:
- Genes
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
- Infection
- Teeth grinding
Consulting with a dentist is an excellent idea if you have misaligned teeth or a bite. Through early intervention, your dentist can help fix the problem using various orthodontic treatment options, including braces.
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Persistent Bad Breath
Persistent bad breath, also known as halitosis, is another symptom you should not ignore. While you may experience bad breath occasionally after munching on smelly foods like onions and garlic, persistent bad breath could be a sign of an oral or dental health issue, such as:
- Cavities
- Gum disease
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Severe Toothache
A twinge every once in a while is not something to worry about. However, if your tooth pain persists or keeps coming back, it could be an infection, a tooth fracture, or any other dental problem. If you notice sharp pain in your tooth anytime you bite or chew food, you should consult with a credible dentist to help determine the cause of your problem.
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Loose Tooth
An adult tooth should not be loose. If your teeth are loose, it could be a sign of severe gum disease or advanced tooth decay. In that case, you should consult with your dentist as soon as possible to help determine the cause of your problem and prevent possible tooth loss.
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Persistent Dry Mouth
As the name suggests, dry mouth is the lack of saliva in your mouth. Dry mouth could be due to inadequate saliva production or certain medications. In addition to being unpleasant, a dry mouth could increase your risk of cavities because saliva helps wash away bacteria in your mouth and neutralize acidity in your mouth.
Scheduling an appointment with a dentist can help determine the underlying cause of your problem and recommend an appropriate treatment.
Guidelines to Help You Maintain Excellent Oral and Dental Health
Here are some excellent guidelines to help you maintain your teeth and gums' health:
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Watch Out What You Consume
What you eat can significantly influence your dental and gum health. Eating calcium-rich foods like dairy products can help strengthen tooth enamel, helping keep cavities at bay. Leafy greens also contain vital vitamins and folic acid, which promote the health of your enamel.
To maintain your dental health, you also need to limit your intake of sugary foods because they promote the growth of harmful bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. Improving your diet can positively impact your dental and oral health.
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Brush and Floss Your Teeth Regularly
Many people know they should brush their teeth no less than two times daily, but some do not follow through. Brushing your teeth daily for at least two minutes can help remove cavity-causing plaque from the surface of your teeth and prevent bad breath.
It is worth noting that aggressive tooth brushing does not translate to whiter or brighter teeth. Instead, aggressive tooth brushing can cause enamel erosion, increasing your risk of cavities. You should brush your teeth gently, ensuring your toothbrush moves in circular motions across the surface of your teeth.
Also, do not forget to use fluoridated toothpaste when brushing your teeth because it contains fluoride, an essential mineral that helps strengthen your enamel.
Daily tooth flossing is just as beneficial for your oral health as brushing. Flossing helps remove food particles stuck between the spaces in your teeth that you cannot reach with a toothbrush, minimizing your risk of cavities.
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Use Mouthwash to Rinse Your Mouth
Using mouthwash to rinse your mouth, especially after eating, dramatically improves your dental and oral health. For example, a mouthwash containing chlorhexidine can help reduce plaque on your teeth, reducing the risk of cavities.
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Wear a Mouthguard to Help Protect Your Teeth
If you are an athlete or player in a physical-contact sport, like basketball or rugby, wearing a mouthguard can help protect your teeth from potential damage or breakage. Your dentist can help design a custom mouthguard for your unique smile to help keep your teeth safe from potential breakage or damage.
Your dentist may also recommend wearing a mouthguard at night to protect your teeth if you clench or grind your teeth.
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Avoid Smoking
In addition to causing bad breath and yellowing of your teeth, smoking can increase your risk of gum disease and oral cancer. Hence, quitting the habit would be a significant step towards achieving optimal oral and dental health. If you smoke cigarettes or cigars or chew tobacco-related products, your dentist could recommend treatment options to help you overcome the habit.
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Scrape Your Tongue Regularly
Like your teeth and gums, your tongue can also have various bacteria when you leave it uncleaned. To reduce these bacteria and protect your dental health, consider buying a tongue scraper. This small dental care accessory can help remove bacteria and food particles that linger on your tongue after eating, keeping cavities at bay.
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Schedule Regular Dental Appointments With Your Dentist
Regular dental appointments every six months, or twice a year, are vital to maintain optimal dental health. These visits allow your dentist to monitor your dental health and recommend appropriate treatment if you are at risk of a dental health problem. If you need any clarification regarding your dental and oral health, regular appointments with your dentist give you a chance to address these issues
Tips to Help Protect Your Child's Dental and Oral Health
If you have a general dentist, every member of your family, including your children, can rely on him for dental care. Caring for your child's primary teeth is just as crucial as caring for your permanent teeth. Primary teeth not only help your child communicate and chew, but they also hold space for permanent teeth, which will erupt later.
When your child loses his/her teeth because of tooth decay, trauma, or infection, the space in his/her mouth could be affected, interfering with how his/her permanent teeth will erupt later. Therefore, it is your responsibility as a parent to ensure that your child's teeth are healthy. You can assist in keeping your child's gums and teeth healthy by:
- Wiping his/her gums daily using a warm, soft cloth to remove any sugars from juices and milk
- Ensuring your child does not go to sleep with a sippy cup or bottle because milk contains sugars that could contribute to tooth decay when left to linger in a child's mouth for prolonged periods
- Brushing your child's tooth until he/she is grown or mature enough to do so by himself/herself
These tips can go a long way in ensuring your child grows with healthy teeth. If you are unsure how to care for your children's oral and dental health, you should consult with your family dentist.
What to Anticipate During a Dental Exam
An accurate dental examination is crucial for a dentist to pinpoint a dental health issue and recommend appropriate treatment. If you have a severe toothache, your dentist will focus on pinpointing the root cause of the problem and providing appropriate treatment before thoroughly cleaning your teeth. The treatment your dentist will recommend will depend on the results of the diagnosis.
For a precise diagnosis, your dentist could request an X-ray of your mouth. A dental x-ray can show your dentist what you cannot see with your naked eye beneath your gumline and jawbone. An X-ray can also help show a cavity and a tooth fracture, which are among the primary causes of sharp toothaches when biting or chewing.
Depending on the treatment procedure your dentist recommends after the diagnosis, anesthesia may or may not be necessary. Anesthesia helps numb your skin and prevent discomfort during a surgical procedure.
Advantages of Maintaining Excellent Oral and Dental Hygiene
While your dentist could recommend various treatments to reverse tooth decay or gingivitis, preventing dental issues before they occur is a smart idea. That is where an excellent oral and dental care routine comes in. Here are the notable benefits of maintaining excellent oral and dental hygiene:
- Helps prevent bad breath
- Helps keep your teeth and gums healthy
- Lessens your risk of oral cancer
- Lowers your risk of systemic health issues like heart disease
- Helps boost your smile appearance
- Helps reduce your need for bridges, fillings, dental implants, crowns, and orthodontic appliances
In addition to helping prevent various dental and oral health issues, preventative dental care is more cost-friendly than emergency or restorative dentistry. That means an excellent dental and oral care routine can save you worry, time, and unnecessary costs in the long run.
What You Need to Know Before Scheduling Your Appointment With a Dentist
Whether you are looking for preventive, restorative, or cosmetic care, knowing what to anticipate can help you have a more comfortable and successful dental visit. Before you make an appointment with a dentist, keep the following four points in mind:
- A dental office can offer you a variety of dental and oral health services
- Frequent dental appointments promote excellent oral and dental health
- Maintaining clear and honest communication with your dentist is encouraged
- The focus is on your comfort as the patient
- Prior preparation could help streamline your treatment
Find a Credible Dentist Near Me
Maintaining a proper oral health routine is essential for overall dental and body health. As simple as it seems, flossing and brushing your teeth twice daily can help keep your gums and teeth in their optimal condition. Regular dental appointments also allow your dentist to address emerging oral and dental health issues before they become serious.
If you are interested in learning more about dental care and maintaining good oral health, our dentists at SoCal Dental of Valencia are here to help. We invite you to call us at 661-554-4545 if you or a loved one needs professional dental care. We are ready to accompany you on this journey to ensure that you and your loved one grow with healthy smiles.