Maintaining dental health requires that you and your dentist work together.  You, at home, brushing at least twice daily and flossing, and your dentist performing more professional cleanings and dental procedures.  The majority of dental problems can be avoided by following a strict dental cleaning schedule at home.

Prevention is Key to Maintaining Dental Health

The preventative measures that you take at home, combined with exams and cleanings, will reduce your future problems and your dental bills.  Tooth decay and gum disease cause terrible pain, bad breath, and can make you lose your confidence.  Follow these tips to care for your mouth at home…

Brush Properly – Using a soft bristled brush and a fluoride toothpaste accepted by the ADA, thoroughly brush all of the surfaces of your teeth twice daily.  Brushing helps to stimulate gums to avoid gum disease, also.  Spend extra for a brush with a tongue cleaner, and clean your tongue as faithfully as you do your teeth.

Floss Properly – The only way to scrub plaque from between teeth is to floss.  Using an 18-inch length of floss, carefully ease the floss between teeth and pull it tight against one tooth so that you can carefully scrub up and down to reach the plaque building up at the gum line and between the teeth.  Complete the process with each tooth, and remember to floss behind the last tooth, which is hard to reach with a brush.  You can use a floss threader to get between bridges and artificial teeth, if needed.

Regular Dental Visits – Schedule your dental visits regularly.  At Dr. Hakimzadeh’s office, your teeth, gums, mouth, and throat will be thoroughly checked for any problems that may have arisen since previous dental visits.

A dental checkup at our office includes:

  • A full head and neck exam:    During the exam, you will be checked for any signs of cancer, facial problems, and there will be an exam of the chewing muscles, lymph nodes, and jaw joint.
  • A full set of X-rays:  These will show any cavities or soft spots not easily seen with the eye to make the exam more thourough.
  • A dental exam:  If there are any concerns about your dental health, the doctor will explain possible actions and answer all of your questions.
  • A complete dental cleaning:  Plaque removal, flossing, and polishing are completed in this step.

Maintaining dental health is a lifelong process.  Caring for your teeth at home, combined with the care of Dr. Hakimzadeh, will keep your mouth healthy.  Once your exam is complete, he will discuss any concerns he has, as well as your own concerns, so be sure to ask questions.  General dentistry with Dr. Christopher Hakimzadeh in Phoenix, Arizona, and a good routine at home, can reduce the problems that require cosmetic or restorative dentistry services later in life.