The Importance of Preventive Care

Preventive care helps you protect your smile and avoid cavities, gum disease, and other oral health issues. Regular visits to your Springfield, MO, dentist, Dr. A. Joshua Montgomery, and good oral hygiene are essential aspects of preventive care.

How preventive care helps your smile

Poor maintenance can cause all sorts of problems. If you don't change the oil in your car regularly, you risk damaging your engine. Failing to brush and floss thoroughly or skipping dental visits can also damage your smile.

Preventive care offers these benefits:

• Fewer Cavities: Brushing and flossing your teeth removes plaque, a clear, sticky film that can cause cavities. Since the film builds up throughout the day, it's important to brush at least twice a day and floss between teeth once a day.
• Easier Cavity Treatment: If you do happen to develop tooth decay, chances are the cavity will be fairly small if you've been visiting the dentist every six months as recommended by the American Dental Association. Small cavities do less damage to your teeth and are easier and less expensive to treat than big ones.
• Reduced Risk of Gum Disease: Periodic checks up with your dentist at the Springfield, MO, office can also keep your gum disease risk low. During the visit, you'll receive a dental cleaning to remove plaque and tartar. Tartar is a hard deposit that forms when plaque remains on your teeth for as little as 10 days. Both plaque and tartar can raise your gum disease risk. A professional cleaning will not only get rid of plaque and tartar in hard-to-reach places but may also reverse the signs and symptoms of gingivitis, the earliest form of gum disease.
• Identification of Other Oral Health Issues: Your dentist will thoroughly examine your teeth and look for signs of potential problems, such as cracked teeth, bleeding gums, dying roots, loose fillings, and suspicious sores or bumps. If he does notice any issues, he'll recommend a treatment plan that will help you protect your smile.

Do you need to pay a visit to your dentist in Springfield, MO, Dr. A. Joshua Montgomery? Call (417) 883-2111 to schedule your appointment.