When you meet someone new, one of the first things they notice is your smile, so you want to make sure it always looks its best. A healthy, well-maintained smile not only looks attractive but shows the world you care about your oral health. Taking care of your teeth and gums also ensures you enjoy fresh breath, which is essential for making that all-important positive first impression.
Preventive Dentistry Is Key
Most people can easily maintain good oral health by following a preventive dental care plan. It's a strategy we certainly recommend at our dental practice as it's by far the easiest and most cost-effective way to look after your dental health.
What Is Preventive Dentistry?
A preventive dental care plan is as simple as making sure you see your dentist regularly. Generally, people need to see a dentist every six months, but if you have any existing dental problems or medical issues that could impact your oral health, we might suggest more frequent checkups. The same applies to regular dental cleanings, a treatment that helps you maintain healthy teeth and gums more easily. A professional dental cleaning is excellent for freshening breath and rejuvenating the appearance of your teeth. It is a procedure that removes some surface stains from teeth, so they look extra sparkly afterwards.
Professional preventive dental care needs to be combined with a good oral care routine at home. Typically it will take less than 10 minutes out of your day to brush your teeth twice daily and floss every day. Not sure how to floss? We know many people struggle with this task, but we are here to help. Ask us to demonstrate flossing techniques or discuss other tools to use during your next checkup.
What about Attaining a Perfect Smile?
While preventive dentistry helps you maintain healthy teeth and gums, some people are looking for a little more. These days numerous cosmetic dental treatments can help improve the alignment, colour or shape of your teeth and can achieve excellent results.
When teeth are generally healthy, and a nice size and shape but may be discoloured and stained, teeth whitening can easily correct this issue. Our practice can provide professional teeth whitening treatments that will lift the colour of your teeth safely and effectively, and treatment is very affordable.
No longer just for children, an increasing number of adults are having orthodontic treatment, largely due to the introduction of adult-oriented braces such as clear aligners. Instead of fixed metal braces, these use clear removable aligners to gently move teeth into the proper positions. Sometimes orthodontics can also help improve overall health, making teeth easier to keep clean and free from disease.
Porcelain crowns and veneers are extremely useful in correcting the shape, size and colour of teeth. Porcelain crowns cover the entire tooth and are ideal when the tooth is substantially decayed or damaged. Porcelain veneers cover only the front surface of a tooth, perfecting its appearance.
These are just some of the solutions available. Ask us for more information during your next visit.