Professional Preventative Dentistry at Barbara Young, DDS

preventative dentistry

An Ounce of Preventative Dentistry in San Diego

Why is preventative dentistry so important? The saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is very true in dentistry. Prevention is critical to keeping your teeth and gums healthy. Unfortunately, a lot of people avoid the dentist due to anxiety or because appointments feel like one more commitment on a long to-do list. This can lead to the need for extensive, complicated dental work down the road.

We truly believe that when you actually like going to the dentist, taking the steps necessary to maintain your oral health won’t feel overwhelming. That’s why we make visits as convenient, painless, and relaxing as possible.

Our array of preventative services can help you ward off restorative procedures altogether or, at the very least, allow us to catch problems early for a quicker, less invasive fix. The MDCS team will listen to your needs and concerns and formulate a customized plan to ensure you’re getting the best care for that one-of-a-kind smile.

What Is Preventative Dentistry?

Preventative dentistry involves establishing habits that will keep your teeth healthy help you avoid cavities, gum disease, enamel wear, and more. During your regular visit at Barbara Young, DDS, your dental hygienist will point out any issues that you may be having with your oral hygiene. Your hygienist will perform a cleaning, dental exam, an oral cancer exam, and take any necessary X-rays. We will also evaluate the appearance of your teeth and recommend any aesthetic procedures that will enhance your smile, such as cosmetic or orthodontic procedures. Since we began serving patients in San Diego, California as well as the surrounding areas, our goal has been a whole-body health approach.

What You Can Do To Prevent Tooth Decay

Establishing at-home oral hygiene habits is essential to keeping your teeth healthy. Brushing twice a day for at least two minutes and flossing after eating will help to remove plaque and decay. Plaque is difficult to remove and the best at-home habits may not be enough to keep it a bay. This is why it is so important to schedule regular dental visits and allow our trained staff of oral hygienists to catch any problems that may be lurking before they become serious.

How Can Barbara Young, DDS Help

Here at Barbara Young, DDS, we provide a wide array of preventative care. Here are some of the services that we provide to our value patients in San Diego, California:

  • Custom Mouthguards: a mouthguard specifically designed for you is more comfortable and less bulky. It makes talking, breathing, and swallowing easier.
  • Occlusal Night Guards: sleep bruxism is a common problem and difficult to shake, so we can make you a custom occlusal night guard to protect your teeth from damage until the issue can be resolved.
  • Oral Cancer Screenings: early detection through oral cancer screenings have been shown to increase the survival rate to 80% and better, which is why it’s so important to have this simple test done.
  • Silver Diamine Fluoride: silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a compound that helps fight tooth decay in children who are especially vulnerable to it. SDF is applied quickly and painlessly during a regular dental visit.
  • Sports Mouthguards: even if you don’t always wear a mouthguard while playing sports, you’ll want to reconsider while wearing braces. Contact sports don’t only put your teeth at risk, metal in an athlete’s mouth can introduce a host of new risks as well.

Help Us Help You Take Care Of Your Teeth!

Our recommendation is to visit Barbara Young, DDS twice a year for regular cleanings and preventative treatments. When you do this, we can detect any problems early, when they are much easier (and less costly) to fix.

If you live in San Diego and do not have an appointment scheduled, please reach out to us by calling (858) 273-7777 or sending us an email (office@barbarayoungdds.com). Here at Barbara Young, DDS, we’re excited to help keep you healthy and happy!