[Posted on March 4th, 2013]Taking proper care of your teeth is important, and a big part of that is making sure you take advantage of the preventative services your Dentist in College Station can offer. Along with regular check-ups and cleanings, these preventative services are essential to maintain optimal dental health for your entire life. You only get one set of adult teeth, so it’s imperative that you take care of them properly starting at a young age. Otherwise, you may be in for a series of painful treatments, or worse, you could lose your teeth when you get older.Fluoride TreatmentWhile fluoridated drinking water can help to reduce cavities, it isn’t always enough on its own. The dentist will administer a fluoride treatment to promote the overall strength of your teeth, which will also help them from decaying as a result of time and consumed foods. Dentists will provide a fluoride treatment to the teeth in order to make them more resistant to bacteria, acidic and sweets. Fluoride treatments aren’t expensive, and they’re ideal for both children and adults of all ages.Dental ScalingScaling is a procedure that involves removing plaque and tartar from the teeth and inflamed pockets above and below the gum line. Typically, scaling is only necessary when a person has a serious plaque or tartar buildup, and in many cases, the person has one form of periodontal disease or another – even one as common as gingivitis. Dental scaling can help save natural teeth and decrease pain and inflammation in the gums. Scaling can also help to prevent gum disease from worsening, which can actually result in a loss of bone and connective tissue in the mouth and jaw.Root PlanningRoot planning sounds like a scary procedure, but it’s actually a non-surgical deep cleaning that can greatly benefit your teeth. During a root planning procedure, the roots of the teeth are cleaned with a special instrument and smoothed out, making it harder for plaque to come back and stick, which will damage your tooth and the surrounding tissue over time.Dental Sealant ApplicationDental sealant is a thin plastic coating that is applied by a dentist, most commonly to the molars in the back of the mouth. When dental sealant is applied, it keeps food particles that can build bacteria from getting trapped in the grooves of the teeth. Dental sealants are commonly applied to children’s permanent teeth as standard procedure, but adults can benefit from a dental sealant treatment as well. After treatment, dental sealants will usually stay in place for five to 10 years, and your dentist will check them out as part of your routine bi-annual visit to make sure they’re still in place. If you don’t already have dental sealants in place, it’s something you should consider doing right away. Another benefit of dental sealants for adults is that white sealants can be put in place, or you can choose dental sealants that are tinted to match the color of your teeth. The basic procedure can save you a lot of money, pain and time in the dentist’s chair later on.
