Maintenance and Prevention

Regular visits mean fewer treatments and eliminating problems before they become severe

Here at Lindley Dental, we educate our patients in the importance of preventative dentistry. We recommend that all our patients visit us regularly so that our team can help you set up a maintenance plan that’s right for you. We understand that no two people are exactly alike, so we make sure the preventative measures we recommend are appropriate to your individual needs. For some people this might mean coming to see us every three months; others might only need to visit on a yearly basis.

Preventive dentistry will benefit anyone with at least some of their own teeth. People who no longer have their own teeth can also benefit because conditions such as mouth cancer and denture stomatitis can be spotted during regular visits to the dentist and then treated. It’s never too late to start a maintenance plan.

How Lindley Dental help prevent problems before they happen

One of our dentists will first check your teeth and gums, and talk to you about any treatment you need. We want to make sure your mouth stays healthy – so that tooth decay or gum disease won’t be a problem you’re likely to encounter.

Five steps to a healthy mouth and healthy gums:

1. The hygienist or dentist will thoroughly ‘scale and polish’ your teeth.
2. The hygienist will show you the best ways to brush and clean in between your teeth using interdental brushes or floss to remove the bacterial ‘plaque’ which forms constantly. When you eat or drink something sugary, the bacteria in the plaque turn the sugar into acid, which may cause tooth decay. Plaque can also cause gum inflammation (swelling and soreness) if it is not regularly and thoroughly removed. The hard tartar (or ‘calculus’) which builds up on the teeth also starts off as plaque.
3. You will be told which oral care products are the best ones for you to use.
4. The hygienist will probably talk to you about your diet, and any habits such as smoking and drinking.
5. Your dentist will also make sure that all your fillings are in good repair and there are no rough edges to make cleaning difficult.

Onlays, fillings and other preventative treatments

Preventative treatment isn’t really a contradiction in terms as your dentist will sometimes recommend treatment to strengthen a tooth to make sure it doesn’t break. For example, if the dentist sees that a tooth is cracked, or is weak and in danger of breaking, they may advise a new filling or perhaps a crown or ‘onlay’ to protect it. This is always better than waiting until the tooth breaks, and then dealing with it as an emergency.