Preventive Dentistry is the key to good oral health and includes consistent, daily brushing, flossing and oral rinse/mouth wash. At Koenigsknecht Dentistry we supplement your home care with dental cleanings, fluoride treatments, X-rays to screen for problems and oral exams to look for cancer and evaluate gum tissue, teeth and bone to determine if there are any issues like cavities. We also check for periodontal disease, bites that don’t line up, TMJ (temporomandibular joint) symptoms, teeth grinding and chronic bad breath.
Another important part of preventive dentistry includes educating our patients about nutrition, smoking cessation and at-home care. Smokers have a much higher incidence of periodontal disease and nutrition is important because our teeth are greatly impacted by foods and beverages with high sugar content.
At Koenigsknecht Dentistry we recommend visits to our office twice per year. While daily at-home care is crucial for removing plaque, tartar, which is a harder, more built up version of plaque, can only be removed by a dental professional. If tartar is not removed from the teeth then patients are at a higher risk for gingivitis, bone loss or periodontal disease. Also, cavities can form very quickly in a highly acidic/sugary environment so regular checks are required to make sure that smaller cavities don’t become a larger problem. Often, by the time symptoms of pain or discomfort begin, the problem has become much larger than it was originally. This is especially true with oral cancer. Regular dental checkups are important to maintain good oral health.
