{"id":135,"date":"2019-01-18T00:24:04","date_gmt":"2019-01-18T00:24:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vollersmiles.com\/blog\/?p=135"},"modified":"2019-02-19T00:31:40","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T00:31:40","slug":"dentist-in-fox-chapel-routine-visits-protect-long-term-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vollersmiles.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/18\/dentist-in-fox-chapel-routine-visits-protect-long-term-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Dentist in Fox Chapel Says Routine Visits Protect Long-Term Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Everyone understands the importance of routine at-home oral\ncare. Brushing and flossing will make up the majority of your protection from\ndecay and gum disease in between routine dental visits, but it\u2019s important that\nyou don\u2019t allow your at-home care to replace preventive visits altogether.\nDoing so could truly spell disaster for your long-term oral health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what you can avoid with routine appointments and what\nyou can expect when visiting a dentist in Fox\nChapel.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Importance of Preventive Dentistry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When we talk about preventive dentistry, we\u2019re talking about\ntreatments proven to reduce your risk for dental disease in the future. This\nincludes treatments to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, but it also has to\ndo with treatments that help you manage conditions that may not even be related\nto your oral care habits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, bruxism, also known as chronic teeth grinding,\nmay not even show any symptoms while it\u2019s happening. In fact, some people don\u2019t\nrealize they grind their teeth until a dentist tells them that their enamel is\neroding. Routine visits help you catch this issue sooner and therefore give you\nthe chance to address them directly. In this case, a custom-made nightguard protects\nteeth as you grind throughout the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, routine visits give the dentist a chance to\nremove plaque from teeth that no at-home care, no matter how effective it is,\ncan truly remove. This includes tartar, also known as calculus, which requires\nthe steady hand of a professional using specialized tools designed to break down\ncalcified plaque.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Systemic Disease You Can Prevent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tooth decay and gum disease are the obvious offenders you\nwant to avoid because they are the most common. However, that doesn\u2019t mean there\naren\u2019t many other conditions, including those unrelated to oral health, that\ncould be discovered by a routine dental exam. A few of these conditions\ninclude:<\/p>\n\n\n\n