The Importance of Preventive Care

Do you take advantage of the benefits of preventive care to protect your smile? Good oral hygiene and regular dental examinations can help you avoid tooth and gum problems. In fact, visiting your Arlington, VA, dentist, Dr. Bruce Hanley, every six months is a simple way to improve your oral health and maintain a beautiful smile—read on to learn more!

Why Preventive Care Is Important

Have you ever ignored mysterious sounds coming from your car's engine hoping they would just go away? Unfortunately, waiting to take your car to the mechanic may worsen mechanical issues and result in a bigger bill than you expected.

The same thing can happen if you don't make oral health a priority. When you don't receive regular dental care, small problems eventually become major, costly issues that damage your smile.

Preventive Care Starts at Home

Preventive care doesn't have to be complicated or costly. In fact, you can improve your oral health by taking these steps:

• Brush Your Teeth Thoroughly: Thorough brushing is essential to remove cavity-causing plaque. Brush twice every day for at least two minutes. Be sure to brush all sides of your teeth.
• Floss Daily: Flossing removes plaque and trapped food from between your teeth and can help reduce bad breath.
• Use Fluoridated Products: Fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwashes rebuilds weak areas of tooth enamel and helps you avoid tooth decay.
• Try Anti-Bacterial Mouthwash: Using mouthwash labeled "anti-bacterial" or "anti-microbial" offers additional protection against bacteria that can damage your teeth and gums.
• Limit Sweets and Carbs: Sugary and carbohydrate-rich foods combine with the bacteria in plaque to create acids. These acids slowly attack your tooth enamel, causing cavities. Limiting these foods can help you greatly in the fight against cavities.

Regular Dental Visits Are an Essential Aspect of Preventive Care

Your teeth may look perfectly fine, but that doesn't mean you don't have a cavity or another oral health problem. Furthermore, if you skip a check-up, your cavity will continue to grow and difficult exponentially harder to. Scheduling checkups every six months with our Arlington, VA, office will ensure that oral health issues are diagnosed and treated promptly.

Time For Your Next Appointment? Give Us a Call

Safeguard your smile with preventive care! Call your Arlington, VA, dentist, Dr. Bruce Hanley, at (703) 524-7100 to schedule your appointment.