Keeping your smile bright and beautiful requires regular dental care. After all, an attractive smile is a healthy smile. Without dental maintenance, your smile can fall victim to serious issues, such as tooth decay or gum disease. Fortunately, with simple preventive dentistry, you can help your smile stay gorgeous and free of dental disease. Your Allen TX periodontist, Dr. Marco Cueva, offers tips for maintaining a healthy smile.
Preventive Dentistry Quiz
1. True or False: You should brush and floss each day.
2. True or False: Every six months, you should undergo a dental cleaning.
3. True or False: Quitting smoking improves oral health.
4. True or False: There are multiple symptoms of gum disease to watch for.
Answer Key
1. True. Routine homecare protects and preserves your smile. Each day you should thoroughly brush your teeth twice. You also need to floss before bed each night. These simple steps help cleanse the mouth of harmful bacteria and stray food particles, reducing the risk of tooth decay or gum disease.
2. True. Both the American Dental Association and your Allen TX periodontist recommend receiving a cleaning twice a year. A cleaning removes the plaque buildup from your teeth. Over time, plaque can irritate the gums, causing inflammation that often leads to the onset of periodontal disease. Plaque also weakens enamel, increasing the likelihood of dental caries. A routine cleaning staves off common dental problems and keeps your teeth bright and your breath fresh.
3. True. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, your Allen TX periodontist recommends quitting immediately. In addition to increasing the risk of cancer, smoking boosts the severity of many gum disease symptoms, including gum recession. Smoking also stains your teeth and causes bad breath.
4. True. How do you know if you are at risk of gum disease? If you begin to experience sore, red gums that bleed easily, receding gums, chronic bad breath, or loose teeth, contact Dr. Cueva right away. Early treatment is crucial for safeguarding your smile against tooth loss.
About Dr. Marco Cueva: Marco Cueva, DDS, MS is a board-certified periodontist with extensive training in periodontology and implantology. New patients can schedule an appointment or a consultation with Periodontic Excellence by calling 972-390-9944.
