What if dentistry was like medicine?Well we'd have 2 main disciplines, surgery and medicine. For the last 100 years, dentistry has been primarily 'Surgical', we have to cut or drill your teeth to prevent spread of the dental disease throughout your teeth.
This has meant the use of injections, drilling, fillings, occassional 'after pain', the associated fear of coming to the dentist! What if there was an alternative? maybe a medical approach.
If we had a medical problem, we may think of ways to reduce or prevent our risk of the problem. This maybe through the help of excercise, diet or medications. We can do exactly the same thing in dentistry. We know that
we can prevent most dental problems from occuring in the first place. We have dental examinations on a regular cycle to detect early problems and send our patients to the hygienist who can give you the care and advice on how best to clean and maintain your teeth. They can show you where problems may occur, and they can recommend specific dental products (medicines if you like) that will significantly reduce your risk of decay or gum disease developing.
It is that simple.
Are you in a high risk group?We know that certain groups of our patients present greater risk than others and also that risk changes throughout your life. The greater risk group looks like this:
Children, who are not the best at cleaning their teeth, and great for eating the wrong types of food.
The ‘stable group'
(mid 20's to mid 65's), who have a lower risk of new decay developing.
65+, in some cases where they become increasingly medicated, possibly more frail and less able to clean their teeth effectively, problems begin.
We have a variety of dental products that together with regular hygiene care and maintenance can reduce the chance of tooth decay and gum problems. This is the preventative medical approach.
Now does that sound a little more appealing than surgical dentistry?
