…. and I thought it was a
very practical approach to your dental care:
Your Oral Health Care
Plan
Good oral health involves more than just
brushing. To keep your teeth and mouth healthy for a lifetime of use, there are
steps that you should follow. Here's what you should consider:
1. Understand your own
oral health needs.
Talk with your dentist, other oral health care specialist, or
hygienist about any special conditions in your mouth and any ways in which your
medical/health conditions affect your teeth or oral health. For example, cancer
treatments, pregnancy, heart diseases, diabetes, dental appliances (dentures,
braces) can all impact your oral health and may necessitate a change in the
care of your mouth and/or teeth. Be sure to tell your dentist if you have
experienced a change in your general health or in any medications you are
taking since your last dental visit.
2. Develop, then follow,
a daily oral health routine.
Based on discussions with your dentist, other oral health care specialist, and
hygienist and considering your unique general health and oral health
situations, develop an oral health routine that is easy to follow on a daily
basis. For example, people with special conditions - such as pregnancy,
diabetes and other underlying diseases, orthodontic appliances - may require
additional instruction and perhaps treatments to keep their mouth healthy. Make
sure you understand the additional care and/or treatment that is needed, commit
to the extra tasks, and work them into your daily health routine.
3. Use fluoride.
Children and adults benefit from fluoride
use. Fluoride strengthens developing teeth in children and prevents tooth decay
in both children and adults. Toothpastes and mouth rinses contain fluoride.
Fluoride levels in tap water may not be high enough without supplementation to
prevent tooth decay. Contact your water utility to determine the level for your
area. Talk with your dentist about your fluoride needs.
Ask if fluoride supplements or a higher strength, prescription-only fluoride
product is necessary for you.
4. Brush and floss daily.
Brush your teeth at least twice a day
(morning and before bed time) and floss at least once a day. Better still would
be to brush after every meal and snack. These activities remove plaque, which
if not removed, combines with sugars to form acids that lead to tooth decay.
Bacterial plaque also causes gum disease and other periodontal diseases.
5. Eat a balanced diet
and limit snacking.
Eat a variety of foods, but eat fewer foods
that contain sugars and starches (for example, cookies, cakes, pies, candies,
ice cream, dried fruits and raisins, soft drinks, potato chips). These foods
produce the most acids in the mouth, which begin the decay process. If you must
snack, brush your teeth afterward or chew sugarless gum.
6. If you use tobacco
products, quit.
Smoking cigarettes or using smokeless tobacco
products increases your risk of oral cancer and cancers of the larynx, pharynx
and esophagus; gum disease; as well as causes bad breath, tooth discoloration,
and contribute to other oral and general health problems.
7. Examine your mouth
regularly.
Become familiar with the appearance of your
own mouth and teeth through frequent examination. This way, you will be able to
catch any changes at an early stage and have these changes examined by a
dentist. Look for the development of any spots, lesions, cuts, swellings, or
growths on your gums, tongue, cheeks, inside of your lips, and floor and roof
of your mouth. Examine your teeth for any signs of chipping or cracking,
discoloration, and looseness. If you experience a change in your bite or
develop pain, call your dentist as soon as possible. An
oral examination is particularly important to conduct if you are a tobacco
user, since you are at an increased risk of developing oral cancer.
8. Visit your dentist
regularly.
The standard recommendation is to visit your
dentist twice a year for check-ups and cleanings. Talk with your dentist about the frequency that is best for you
considering your oral health situation.
Don't be afraid to ask your dentist for more
information if you don't understand a treatment or procedure. You should be
able to have a free and frank discussion with your dentist about the following types of issues:
·
What are the treatment options for a
particular dental condition?
·
How do these options differ in cost and in
their durability?
·
Do all the options solve the problem? What
are the benefits and drawbacks of each option?
·
Of the dental treatments being recommended,
which are absolutely necessary, which are less urgent, which are elective, and
which are merely cosmetic?
·
What are the consequences of delaying
treatment?
·
How much will the treatment cost?
·
When is payment due?
·
What method of payment does your dentist
expect?
·
Do you have a clear understanding of all fees
and methods and schedules of payment?
Novy
Scheinfeld DDS PC
290 Carpenter Drive, Suite 200A
290 Carpenter Drive, Suite 200A
Atlanta,
GA 30328
404-256-3620
www.rightsmilecenter.com
info@rightsmilecenter.com
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