Extreme dental decay cannot be left untreated, or else it will spiral further out of control and wreak havoc on your mouth. Root canal therapy can save your tooth and keep your smile healthy. However, it is always best to avoid severe dental problems before they develop. So today our Toluca Lake dentist will give you some tips on how to avoid the dental damage that leads to root canal treatment.
First, it’s important to know that a patient requires root canal therapy when his or her dental core is infected or damaged. There are two layers of dental structure that protect the dental core—the dental enamel and the dentin. Your goal, therefore, is to maintain strong enamel and dentin so that they can continue to protect the tooth’s dental core.
How can you work to avoid damaged dental enamel and dentin?
1. The first thing that you can do is to follow the ADA recommended at-home oral hygiene routine. Make sure to brush at least twice a day, floss once a day, and avoid sugary, unhealthy foods.
2. It is also important that you complete a professional dental cleaning every 6 months. This keeps your smile healthy, and it also gives your dentist a chance to treat any emerging dental infections before they make it through the dental enamel and dentin and reach the dental pulp.
3. Seek treatment for bruxism (chronic dental grinding); this is a commonly overlooked cause of root canal therapy. Bruxism weakens dental enamel, and it can actually lead to dental fracture.
Take control of your smile and your dental health by implementing effective at-home and professional oral hygiene routines. Our Toluca Lake root canal dentist office can provide you with the care you need if you have existing dental problems, and the preventative treatments you need to avoid dental issues in the first place.