Preventative Care
It’s the old adage, "prevention is better than a cure."
Preventative dental treatments are used to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
This lowers your risk of dental problems and helps you keep your natural teeth for life.
-
Preventative treatment is important for adults to prevent decay, gum disease and tooth loss.
-
Preventative treatment is important for children so we can ensure their adult teeth grow strong and healthy and are well cared for so they will last a lifetime.
We use a number of treatments to keep your teeth in great shape:
Dental Check-ups & Teeth Cleaning
At Balgownie Dental we recommend our patients book in for regular six-monthly dental check-ups and teeth cleaning as part of a healthy dental routine. Many people question the need for a six-monthly dental check-up; however, it is during these appointments that we comprehensively analyse your mouth and teeth for signs of any potential issues.
It is also during this appointment that we perform a scale and polish to remove the plaque and tartar that cannot be removed by simply brushing and flossing. When you visit us, we will address any concerns you may have with your teeth and mouth. No matter how long it has been since your last dental visit, we’re here to help.
If it’s been a while since your last dental health review or check-up and clean, please do not hesitate to book an appointment with our friendly team.
What Does A Dental Health Review Entail?
A Comprehensive Dental Evaluation
This we check the health and condition of your teeth, gums, tongue and other soft tissues in your mouth. This is also where we will assess if you need any additional treatment or if you need guidance on your, at home oral hygiene.
Dental Radiograph (x-ray)
At some appointments, we may take x-rays.
Routine x-rays are recommended approximately every two years. These x-rays and with radiographs of your teeth and jaw provide information enabling us to perform a comprehensive examination. These allow us to check for any potential dental infections or cavities inside or between the teeth that is not visible in an external examination.
An Oral Cancer Check
When we check the soft tissues in your mouth, we are looking for any signs of potential oral cancers or lesions. It is important that we check for these as we can detect oral cancer and other health issues early. Regular dental check-ups provide you the best chance of an early treatment.
A Thorough Dental Scale And Clean
We will perform a dental scale and clean to remove any plaque or hard tartar (calculus) build up off your teeth and ensure gum health. Once completed your teeth will feel clean and smooth. In addition, a fluoride treatment may be applied to help protect your teeth.
Fissure sealants
Fissure sealants are a protective layer of resin applied to the chewing surface of the back teeth (molars), to help prevent tooth decay.
Fissures are the grooves that occur on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Sometimes these fissures are too deep and may be difficult to clean with a toothbrush. This can lead to food, plaque and bacteria becoming trapped in the fissures and causing cavities.
Fissure sealants are made from tooth-coloured resin which flows into the deep grooves to fill them.
The sealant will act as a barrier to bacteria and food debris, and will make the tooth surface smoother and therefore easier to clean.
The application of sealants does not require any drilling or local anaesthetic, and multiple sealants can be applied in one appointment.
Fissure sealants are white in colour and may include fluoride for even more protection. Using your teeth can cause the fissure sealant to wear away over time.
Not everyone requires fissure sealants. Our dentists or oral health therapist will let you know if this treatment is recommended for your teeth.
Saliva Testing
Saliva is the body’s natural defence system for the teeth and mouth. It is particularly important for protecting the outer tooth surface (enamel) from decay by neutralising acids caused by bacterial plaque.
In specific cases where there may be unexplained decay, a simple saliva test may be used to identify, measure and assess saliva condition. This can help us manage your oral health effectively and tailor treatments and products to suit you.
Some salivary functions include:
-
Neutralising acids
-
Flushing food and bacteria from the mouth
-
Acting as a lubricant
-
Providing remineralisation to the tooth surface (enamel)