Dental maintenance is the practice of taking care of your teeth and gums with and without the help of your dentist.

Having healthy teeth and tissues in your mouth ensures that eating is easy and that you’re not in any pain when you bite or chew. If you provide your mouth with the right maintenance, you can make your teeth last a lifetime.

At Cute Dental Care, PC, the team helps you make the most of your dental maintenance routine at home. They also provide maintenance services in the office.

Your dental maintenance routine should include regular visits to Cute Dental Care, PC for deep cleanings and precautionary examinations.

Dental maintenance might not always seem necessary, especially if your teeth look great and you don’t have any uncomfortable symptoms.

However, dental maintenance is important because it helps you prevent some of the most common oral health conditions. By keeping your teeth clean, you reduce your risk of these major complications:

Gum disease

Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, is a bacterial infection affecting the soft tissues around your teeth. It starts with the filmy layer of bacteria covering your teeth called plaque, which turns into a hard substance called tartar.

Tooth decay

Tooth decay happens when the same plaque and tartar that lead to gum disease produce acids that eat through your enamel. Cleaning your teeth daily helps you avoid cavities and areas of tooth decay.

Dental maintenance requires a regular routine and likely a few habit changes. At home, your dental maintenance routine should involve:

• Quitting smoking
• Eating a balanced diet with limited sugar and acid
• Brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste
• Brushing your tongue
• Cleaning between your teeth with dental floss

A successful dental maintenance routine also requires regular trips to Cute Dental Care, PC. Every six months, you should get a deep cleaning and an oral exam. The exam portion of your appointment allows your dentist to find signs of decay, disease, and damage that you might not notice on your own.

If you show signs of gum disease, the team at Cute Dental Care, PC might also clear the tartar from your teeth with scaling and encourage gum reattachment with root planing.

To find out how you can improve your dental maintenance routine, call Cute Dental Care, PC or book an appointment online today.