Preventative Dental Care
As your dentist in Salida, our staff at Horizon Dental wants every patient to enjoy the very best oral health possible. While it’s easy to think of your oral health as only impacting the health of your teeth and gums, recent studies have found compelling evidence that suggests dental disease plays a far more important role in determining your long-term health. Research has found that individuals suffering from tooth decay and gum disease have a significantly higher risk of developing a range of chronic illnesses that include heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, diabetes and cancer. While further study examines these connections, it’s become clear that your oral health means far more to your overall health than previously believed.
To enjoy a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums and to lower your risk of dental disease, it’s important to practice quality oral hygiene routines at home that includes:
- Brushing at least twice a day. Daily brushing ranks as the best habit you can perform to lower your risk of dental disease. Brushing helps to remove harmful oral bacteria and food particles from your mouth that linger after eating. If left to fester, these substances can cause serious problems to your long-term oral health by increasing your risk of tooth decay, cavities and gum disease. To enjoy the best oral health possible, you need to brush at least twice a day (preferably once in the morning and again before bed) for two minutes at a time.
- Floss daily. Flossing sits in a virtual tie with brushing for the most important oral health habit. That’s because flossing helps remove harmful oral bacteria and food particles from the areas of your mouth a toothbrush just cannot reach – between teeth and below the gum line.
- Using an oral rinse. Rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash after flossing and brushing helps to eradicate any bacteria that you may have missed during your oral hygiene regimen. Just think of using mouthwash as an extra layer of prevention.
Dental Exam & X-rays
While practicing these daily oral hygiene habits will help to dramatically improve your oral and overall health...
Dental Sealants
The mouth features many hard-to-reach places that can be easily missed during brushing, especially by younger patients...