The Importance of Preventive Dentistry for Your Oral Health

Preventive dentistry is important — the reason is in the name. Good hygiene prevents a host of problems. However, there's more to it than that.

Regular dentist appointments, also known as preventive appointments, involve a lot more than cleaning. They are an important part of maintaining oral health for people of all ages. Here are some of the ways we take care of our patients here at Mona Gokani, DDS, during their routine visits to our Pleasanton dental office.

Freshening Up

A bright smile is an important part of feeling good about yourself. Still — even with all of the great home dental care products out there — there's nothing that compares to the way teeth look after a professional cleaning.

Tooth cleanings are about hygiene, but they're also about confidence. Not only can a smile boost your self-esteem, but it's also easier to take care of your teeth if you're proud of the way they look.

Checking In

Your regularly scheduled preventive appointments are important because they allow us to check in on you. We ask very specific questions in order to determine any risks you might have or any problems you might be developing that could threaten your oral health.

If you have any concerns at all, please don't hesitate to let your dentist or your hygienist know about them. Even if it's something that you wouldn't necessarily talk about with other people — such as chronic bad breath, dry mouth, loose-feeling teeth, or a change in the way you bite — feel free to bring it up. No detail is too small. Even seemingly unimportant things can be an important part of your overall oral health.

Getting Updates

Apart from you updating us about your oral health, we might have some things to share with you. Professional dental researchers are always running new studies that can help us understand how to prevent and treat various types of oral health issues. As that science develops, new techniques and products develop.

We spend many hours every week reading dental publications and applying these new techniques and ideas. In fact, along with treating our patients and managing our offices, keeping up-to-date is one of the major parts of being a dentist. We're always happy to share the newest information with you when you come in during your regular visits.

Keeping Track

We help maintain your oral health and prevent problems during these appointments, but preventive dentistry is also about keeping track of your health. Dental health tends to change over time, and having a record of that change helps us immensely when determining what types of care you might need.

In terms of your medical record, every dental visit you have is an important set of data. The more data we have and the more regular the entries are, the better we can notice potentially dangerous trends early and help you avoid major oral health problems.

Changing Gears

Regardless of where you are in your life, there's always a chance that your dental needs might change. As you and your family members grow up or grow older, your preventive appointments will serve as a benchmark of your oral health. When it's time to modify your preventive appointment scheduling, in the type of care you need, or the types of hygiene practices you should be doing, we'll be there right at the moment you need to change gears — as long as you're coming in regularly.

That's preventive dentistry in a nutshell. If you're looking for a family dentist in Pleasanton, please don't hesitate to call us at (925) 462-1464.

Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

Mona Gokani, DDS

Monday:

7:30 am-4:30 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

by appointment only

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed