What is preventive dentistry?

The definition

Preventive dentistry is everything aimed at keeping problems from starting, or catching them while they are still small. In practice:

• Regular check-ups, looking for what you cannot feel.
• Professional cleaning, removing deposits brushing cannot.
• Sealants, a thin coating over the grooves of the back teeth where most decay starts. Clear or tooth-coloured, effectively invisible, and needing no drilling or anaesthesia.
• Fluoride.
• Technique guidance, which is more individual than it sounds.

Why it exists at all

Because early decay and early gum disease are both painless. Pain is a late symptom.

That single fact is the reason a whole branch of dentistry is organised around appointments for people who feel fine. Every other argument for it follows from there.

"I brush twice a day and still get cavities"

This comes up constantly and it is not a character flaw. Several things are usually going on:

• Brushing alone misses the surfaces between teeth, which is where a lot of decay starts.
• Frequency of sugar matters as much as quantity. Grazing through the day is harder on teeth than the same amount at one sitting.
• Dry mouth from medication reduces the saliva that would otherwise protect the teeth.
• Enamel defects and deep grooves make some teeth more vulnerable than others regardless of care.

An examination identifies which of these applies to you, which is more useful than being told to brush harder.

Bad breath is often a preventive problem

Persistent bad breath frequently comes from plaque and gum inflammation. Regular cleaning, better technique and treating any underlying gum disease address the cause rather than masking it.

During pregnancy it matters more, not less

Routine preventive care is generally considered safe, and gum inflammation is common in pregnancy. Tell your dentist you are pregnant so treatment and imaging can be planned accordingly.

For children

The same idea applied earlier: establishing cleaning habits, and using fluoride, sealants and regular check-ups at the age when the back teeth are most vulnerable to decay.

Full detail on the preventive dentistry page; see also how often to have a check-up. Consultation ₹500, waived against treatment.