Dr. BERTRAND R. STUART DDS.
FOR MOST of the 21th century the major emphasis in dentistry has been on the avoidance of dental caries. Now dental professionals are realizing they need to focus on preventative maintenance of gum disease as well. The techniques exist to eliminate virtually all local factors (plaque and calculus) responsible for gum disease. So it is not only prudent but crucial for countries like Guyana, whose foreign exchange earning is inherently linked to national development, to emphasize on prevention of oral diseases because prevention is cheaper than cure.

Good oral health requires a team effort between yourself, your dentist and his staff. In order for it to be successful you must realize that only you can make the effort a success. The outcome will depend on how well you clean your teeth and gingiva (gums) each day. A healthy diet is also important.

Home care involves the use of a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash and floss . Good home care is the backbone of preventing dental disease. One should never forget this statement because it is an important tenet. Brushing and flossing are the two primary methods of providing good home care for you and your children.

If there are any weak points in your home care, your dentist can intervene and correct the situation before it gets to a point of urgency. His intervention involves recognising and treating problems that you are not trained to see. The dental practitioner provides a thorough cleaning of your teeth on a regular basis to prevent periodontal disease. Many times pit-and-fissue sealants are placed on children’s teeth to help prevent decay. In conjunction with this care, the dentist will provide you with instructions on how to foster your home care. Once you begin active home care, the clinic staff will serve as a resource for you if you have questions or problems.

Studies show there are two myths that commonly lead to a lapse in home care. Patients who have been successful in reversing a periodontal problem with a preventative care program sometimes believe that some permanent immunity has been created. In addition, some patients who have completed periodontal therapy may feel they have been ‘cured’ with no possibility for recurrence. Both of these beliefs are false.

When dental professionals focus on prevention it allows periodontal disease to be intercepted with relatively simple procedures. This reduces the need for complicated treatment options caused by delayed diagnosis.
Today, preventative dentistry is considered a standard of dental practice. It is the primary way to ensure that good dental health and quality care are maintained over a lifetime. If preventative education is minimized or omitted, most dental professionals would consider this substandard care. A healthy mouth projects an attractive smile that is noticed by all.

A person who takes care of his teeth and gums reflects a person who values himself or herself.
In addition to daily brushing, flossing, and using a mouth rinse, it is important to eat a balanced diet so that your body can get the nutrients needed for good health.
If your diet is low in the nutrients you need it will be hard for you to resist infection in the tissue of your mouth, which can contribute to periodontal (gum) disease. If children do not have a balanced diet their teeth may not develop properly. In order for them to develop strong, decay – resistant teeth, they need a balanced diet with emphasis on calcium, phosphorus, and proper levels of fluoride.

Your eating patterns and food choices are important factors in helping to reduce caries (decay) in your teeth. The reason is that everything you eat passes through your mouth.
When you eat foods that contain carbohydrates (sugars and starches) the bacteria in plaque produce acids that can destroy tooth enamel. After repeated attacks, the tooth enamel begins to break down, forming a cavity.

It is important to remember that the acids in foods that contain carbs attack your teeth for 20 minutes or more after you eat. The more often you eat foods such as hard candies, breath mints, or cough drops, all of which stay in the mouth for extended periods of time.
Foods that contains carbs are less harmful if they are eaten with a meal because the saliva production is increased at this time. Saliva helps to rinse food from the mouth. In the final analysis, oral health depends on the effective control of dental plaque.