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Preventive Dentistry
Your Oral Health Is Our Top Priority

We recommend a routine exam and cleaning twice a year to avoid tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental issues.

Preventive Dentistry | Dentist

Preventive Dentistry

When you think about your health, your main focus is probably on what is happening with your body. Although this is important, you should also consider your oral health. Taking care of your teeth and gums is essential to your overall health and can help you keep your teeth for a lifetime.

Preventive dentistry is the best way to help you keep your mouth healthy. Combining good dental hygiene at home with regular visits to your dentist gives you the best chance of maintaining your oral health and keeping your teeth and gums healthy.

Prevention Is the Best Approach

A healthy, beautiful smile doesn’t just happen. To keep your teeth and gums healthy for a lifetime, you need preventive dental care that involves more than just brushing and flossing your teeth. Your dentist can help educate you on maintaining the best oral health possible.

Some of the preventive dentistry services your dentist offers include the following:

  • Dental Exams — Visiting your dentist every six months for dental exams allows them to evaluate your oral health, scan for any issues, and treat dental problems before they worsen.
  • Dental Cleanings — Regularly scheduled dental cleanings will eliminate harmful plaque and tartar from your teeth, significantly reducing your chances of tooth decay and gum disease.
  • Fluoride Treatments — Fluoride is a mineral that helps prevent tooth decay. When you visit your dentist for a dental exam and cleaning, they will provide a fluoride treatment to remineralize your tooth enamel.
  • Dental Sealants — As part of a preventive dental plan, sealants are used to shield your teeth from the harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay.
  • X-rays —Dental x-rays can help your dentist identify and treat any underlying dental concerns. This can help you maintain your smile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Even with excellent hygiene habits, it's easy to miss small areas of your teeth. Over time, the missed plaque will harden into tartar, which can only be removed with a dental hygienist's tools. When tartar accumulates beneath the gum line, the end result is red, puffy, inflamed gums – the beginnings of periodontal disease.

Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy

Your dentist has the expertise to help you maintain your oral health, so when you are ready to learn more about preventive dentistry, contact our dental office to schedule an appointment.

We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Dr. Paige Elwood DDS

    Dr. Paige Elwood is proud to serve the Yankton community as the owner and dentist at Elwood Family Dental Care. A native of Yankton, Dr. Elwood brings a personal touch to her practice, caring for generations of families she has known for years. She finds immense joy in working with patients of all ages and loves the variety that dentistry brings to her daily life.

    Dr. Elwood earned her undergraduate degree from the University of South Dakota before completing her dental education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of ...

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Preventive Dentistry Technology

Digital Records

In today’s modern, digital culture, we are used to having information at the tips of our fingers. Your dental records are no different. Digital records allow us to compare your oral health from one visit to the next, and everything stays safe under encrypted lock and key.

Testimonial

Always great prizes at the end.

My littles were very anxious at the dentist, but Dr Paige and her team are so kind and fun, they aren’t nervous even when she had to pull a tooth. Always great prizes at the end, goes a long way in their world.

- Ashley