What is Preventative Dentistry?

Prevent cavities and protect your smile by practicing preventive dental care every day.

If you are brushing and flossing every day then you are already practicing preventive dentistry. The goal of our Erie, PA, family dentist Dr. Rosanne Palermo is to make sure that every patient, from children to seniors, knows how to maintain healthy smiles. After all, preventive dentistry is crucial for supporting healthy teeth and gums. Here’s what preventive dentistry entails,

Visiting your dentist regularly

When was the last time you visited your Erie, PA, family dentist? If it’s been more than six months then you are already falling behind on practicing good preventive dentistry.

Everyone, no matter how healthy they think they are, can benefit from visiting the dentist twice a year. Even kids over 1-year-old have to follow this same rule. No one is too young or too old to get out of visiting their dentist for cleanings and checkups.

Brush at least twice a day

Okay, now be honest: How often do you brush your teeth? If you said twice a day then congratulations, you are already practicing one very important part of preventive dentistry. At the very least you should be brushing twice a day (once in the morning and again at night). If you have an electric toothbrush then chances are good it has a built-in timer that will turn off automatically once your 2-minute brushing is over. If you don’t, it's important that you are timing yourself and brushing for at least two minutes every time.

Floss once daily

Most people brush their teeth regularly, but a lot of people forget about the other important home oral care routine component--flossing. If you aren’t flossing every day then you are leaving a significant portion of your teeth and gums unclean. If you don’t remove food and plaque from between teeth this can lead to cavities and gum disease, so it’s crucial that you start picking up this habit and sticking with it every day if you want to maintain a healthy smile.

These are just the top components of preventive dentistry. Other forms of preventive dentistry include,

  • Wearing a mouthguard when you play contact sports to prevent dental injuries
  • Having your dentist place dental sealants on your child’s back teeth to seal out decay
  • Getting fluoride treatment from a dental professional if your child does not get enough fluoride from tap water or through brushing with fluoride toothpaste.

If you are looking for a family dentist here in Erie, PA, that can provide your family with comprehensive, customized and quality preventative dentistry then you've come to the right place. Call our office today at (814) 833-3001 to schedule your next cleaning.


Erie, PA Family Dentist
Dr. Rosanne M. Palermo
3437 West Lake Rd
Erie, PA 16505
(814) 833-3001
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Feel free to contact our Erie office with any questions. We look forward to making each visit to our office a positive experience.