Preventivo

Since a dentist’s job is to fix issues with a patient’s teeth, it would seem logical to simply wait for something to go wrong and then address it. However, a good dentist knows that their job is to help patients maintain good oral health for their entire lives. This is why applying the principles of preventive dental care is very important.

Some dental procedures can also be very expensive, especially considering how easy it would have been to prevent them. This is why taking the preventative approach is always the right choice.

Preventive dental care can be divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary care depending on how advanced the problem is. In most cases, good primary preventive care can help patients avoid the need for the other two.

A great example of good primary preventive dentistry is the use of fluoride toothpaste or gel to brush teeth daily to prevent tooth decay. If damage has already started, secondary preventive techniques can be used, such as dental restoration. Tertiary-level preventive care includes more complex types of techniques, such as the use of a fixed dental bridge to cover the gap left after removing a rotting tooth.

Preventive dental care is one of the most basic yet important services that dentists can offer to their patients. As such, it should be offered by all types of dentists, whether they are simply family practitioners or they specialize in more advanced techniques.

In general, primary preventive dental techniques can be offered by any reliable dentist. However, more complicated techniques that require the use of specialized equipment are not always available in every dentist's office. This is common in cases where prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment were not done properly, meaning disability limitation would have to be applied.

The great thing about preventive dentistry, especially at the primary and secondary level is that it is non-evasive. As such, these techniques can be used safely on children to prevent serious oral health complications from occurring later on in their lives. 

A great example is when a dentist provides regular checkups for young patients while encouraging them to brush their teeth daily and avoid eating too many sweets or other unhealthy types of food. Such a simple form of primary preventive dental care can teach the kids important lessons in taking care of their own teeth while remembering to visit the dentist regularly.