Preventative Dentistry

Preventive Dentistry is a term that describes the modern movement in dentistry that aims to prevent the damaging effects of tooth decay and gum disease. The most exciting fact that these dental diseases are completely preventable in most people is well documented.

The concept of Preventive Care is that we professionals can help our patients achieve the goal of ideal oral health by helping you develop a daily regime of home care that is effective and efficient. By monitoring your achievements with regular reviews we are able to determine that you mouth is maintained in a stable healthy condition. Detailed dental examinations can reveal the very starts of tooth decay or gum disease, long before conventional drilling and filling is required. Our response to these early findings is to identify the problem and help our patients move back onto the path of dental health. Often simple adjustments to the diet and cleaning technique can tip the balance in favour of continuing oral health.

If a tooth has become damaged through tooth decay it is of course possible to repair it with a filling, inlay or crown. This reconstructive dentistry is also subject to the principles of preventative care. The repairs must be made to fit accurately and be entirely cleansable by the patient using their routine daily cleaning regime. We recognise that it is our fanatical attention to the fine detail of the repair that allows the patient to make it last for a long time.

The basic message for all of us to manage our own preventative care is simple:
– Clean all your tooth surfaces effectively each day (use fluoride toothpaste)
– Manage your diet to use sugar sensibly

The whole team of Dentists, Hygienists, Health Advisors and Assistants at Devonshire House are totally committed to helping our patients work towards the ideal goal of healthy teeth for life.

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