Preventative Dental Services
Preventative Dental Services
When people fail to properly care for their teeth and gums, serious oral health problems like tooth decay, cavities, tooth loss, and gum disease develop. These problems can be quite painful, disruptive, and also costly to treat. Preventative dental care preserves the health of your teeth and gums and your overall health too. Left untreated, dental problems cause pain and discomfort and can permanently damage your vital organs.
How Important Is Preventative Dental Care?
- According to the National Institutes of Health, 92% of individuals between the ages of 20 and 64 have suffered a cavity, demonstrating tooth decay is a near-certainty. Regular cleanings help prevent tooth decay and provide treatment before decay causes serious problems.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of adults over 30 suffer from some level of periodontal (gum) disease. Regular dental care can prevent gum disease and manage existing cases.
- In regions where the majority of the population seeks regular preventative dental care, total tooth loss in adults is as low as 10%. In areas where few people have regular care, total adult tooth loss is as high as 37%.
Preventative Dental Services at Gulf Coast Health Center
During a preventative dental appointment at Gulf Coast Health Center, a dentist and dental hygienist will perform a thorough evaluation of your teeth, gums, and mouth area. This examination screens for developing oral health problems that run the gamut from tooth decay and gum disease to potential signs of cancer. During a regular dental exam, patients also receive a thorough, yet gentle, teeth cleaning and polishing, which consists of scaling teeth to remove plaque and tartar buildup, which leads to gum disease and tooth decay.
We also recommend regular x-rays of teeth, which allow us to detect and diagnose problems which might not be visible to the naked eye, when they occur inside a patient’s teeth or below the gum line. X-rays also help us monitor the development and alignment of pediatric patients’ teeth to ensure proper eruption of adult teeth and to monitor the development of often problematic wisdom teeth.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
Comprehensive preventative dental care includes a combination of flossing, brushing, and regular dental exams. Save yourself the pain, discomfort, and high monetary cost of treating serious medical problems related to tooth decay, tooth loss, and gum disease by scheduling an appointment at Gulf Coast Health Center.
