Children are not the only people who get cavities, adults get them as well and for the same reasons: poor dental hygiene and consuming sugary foods and drinks. Fortunately, by taking care of your teeth and visiting the dentist regularly, most cavities can be prevented. Here are some of the ways cavities can be prevented with your dentist’s help.
Dental Cleanings
Along with good dental hygiene habits like brushing and flossing your teeth daily, visiting the dentist for cleanings at least twice a year will help prevent cavities. Dentists practicing general dentistry in Baltimore City can remove tartar buildup on and between teeth during a cleaning to help prevent tooth decay. In addition, they can treat cavities and gum disease to further protect teeth.
Fluoride Treatments
In general dentistry clinics, both adults and children can have fluoride varnish applied to their teeth. Along with bad oral hygiene habits, adults taking medications which dry the mouth are more prone to getting cavities, however, a fluoride varnish helps to draw the necessary minerals from saliva, calcium and phosphate, into the teeth to heal and strengthen them to treat and prevent tooth decay.
Sealants on Teeth
Another treatment used by dentists practicing Baltimore City general dentistry is to apply a sealant to teeth to prevent decay. A sealant consists of a very thin plastic barrier applied to the chewing surfaces of molars in a child’s mouth. The barrier helps to ensure food particles cannot become embedded in and between teeth and cause cavities. Sealants can also stop decay which has already begun.
Tooth decay can lead to cavities, gum disease, and eventually tooth loss if teeth are not properly cared for at home and treated by dentists practicing general dentistry. A set of teeth can last a lifetime if they are regularly brushed, flossed, and professionally cleaned.
