You’ve probably heard this old saying before, but it stands repeating that, “An ounce of prevention is worth more than 10 pounds of cure.” Life is remarkably easier from the proactive side of the coin than its reactive counterpart. That’s why your dentist in West Mobile encourages you to not wait until you have a dental issue or, worse, an emergency to get serious about your oral health. Learn how you can prevent major problems, and remain healthy and happy.

Why Preventive Dentistry is So Important

As you approach the new year, it’s a great opportunity for you to turn over a new leaf and create a reality of optimum oral health, which is greatly dependent on preventive dentistry. This involves visiting your dentist semi-annually for cleanings and examinations. There are several benefits to this:

• A Clean Slate – When you visit your dentist for a thorough cleaning, you are rejuvenating your mouth, teeth and gums. This allows you to have a clean slate to work from and gives you more confidence to practice better dental hygiene. Proper motivation can go a long way.
• Early Detection – Your dentist will not only clean your teeth at your semi-annual visits, but will also perform a tedious examination of your mouth and jaw area. This allows him to detect any issues early and along with you, develop a plan of action to address them. It’s much easier to tackle an issue before it becomes a full-blown crisis.
• Peace of Mind – A calm and confident state of mind is priceless to have. When you go to visit your dentist, you can experience that because you’ve been under the care of trained, experienced professional. Furthermore, you won’t be in the dark on the condition of your mouth.
• Great for Insurance Coverage – Usually, up to two of your preventive dental visits are 100% covered, meaning that you can save money by not allowing a problem to fester, which could require basic or major dental work. These categories of care typically will require more out-of-pocket payment. So it’s better just to be proactive to prevent major issues from happening.

How Oral Hygiene Aides Preventive Dentistry

Your oral hygiene practices are the equivalent of your dentist’s preventive care. It offers a way to get in front of problems and knock them out before they gain momentum. After all, danger is always looming because harmful bacteria are looking for leftover food particles to devour so that they can grow.

That’s why your brushing, flossing and healthy eating habits are so important. Done correctly, they help form a barrier to block out harmful bacteria and sustain you until your next dental exam. You should brush and floss at least twice a day, and consume natural, unprocessed foods to create a healthy environment in your mouth.

However, if you are negligent with your oral hygiene, several problems can arise, including tooth decay, gum disease and other ailments like heart disease and stroke.

But you won’t have to worry about a failure in your oral hygiene leading to any of the above issues because you’re going to “take the bull by the horns” and apply what you’ve learned to help create the healthiest version of yourself for years to come.

About the Author

Dr. Hube Parker received his undergraduate degree from Mississippi State University and went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude from the Mississippi School of Dentistry. He is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and instructor at the UMC School of Dentistry. He practices at Parker Dental and Orthodontics and can be reached for more information through his website.