Before the NHS was formed in 1948, regular dental care for the means of prevention of disease was virtually unheard of. Through the development of the NHS dental service following the 1948 construction of the service, more and more people began to visit dentists regularly to protect and maintain their oral health.
The Evolution of Dental Care
By the time I qualified in 1994, over half the population would attend for six monthly checkups, and if they were adults, usually with what was known as a scale and polish, which was a light cleaning of the teeth using either hand or mechanised instruments. The 'six monthly checkups' became the norm for NHS dentistry in the United Kingdom.
Dentistry changed as more cosmetic and aesthetic aspects entered, together with the world of dental implants and clear braces, where people became more and more interested in the appearance of their teeth and how these looked to other people, at the expense of looking after the health of their teeth. It's true to say now that much more of the dental population will shop around for products that they would like, including whitening or clear braces or implants.
But this does not remove the fact that dental care is essential for looking after dental health - which is inextricably linked to overall general health.
The Key to Lasting Oral Health
It is one thing to have nice, white upper front teeth, but that is of no use if they are soon to fall out due to gum disease or if your back teeth are broken and cracked and decayed and causing you enormous pain. The first and most important part of looking after someone's teeth, is the function and the aesthetics comes second.
This is demonstrated by the fact that people who move towards dentures are devastated by the fact that they have lost teeth, not only because of the way things look but because of the loss of function and their ability to eat the way they previously did.
It is for this reason that looking after your teeth regularly with a qualified dentist and hygiene team is by far the best and most effective way to maintain the function (and the appearance) of your teeth for the longest possible time.
The Essential Role of Regular Dental Care
Regular dental care is critically important, not only to maintain your teeth from the dangers of dental decay, but also to intervene early and to protect against periodontal (gum disease). Gum disease is one of the most common diseases in the world and affects a huge percentage of adults in the United Kingdom, who have undiagnosed bleeding gums and worse, loss of support of their teeth leading to loose teeth which are then lost.
Once a patient reaches this stage, it's way past the point of no return, and then you enter into the world of dentures or more expensive replacements for missing teeth, perhaps wishing that you'd looked after your teeth better before they were lost.
The Foundations of Comprehensive Oral Health
A regular schedule of dental examinations based around the patient's needs, together with regular high-quality hygiene and X ray examinations, is by far the best way to maintain oral health. Working in conjunction with the dentist so that you clean your teeth properly and well, with the correct equipment leads to better looking teeth, more healthy gums, fresher breath and general overall oral being.
General dentistry provides the foundation for any other aspect of dentistry that's carried out, including straightening whitening, composites or implants.
You must start with the basics first, and excellent regular dental care is the foundation of all oral health.
Our Total Care for your Dental Health
Here at The Campbell Clinic, we recognise that attending a dental service that can provide everything all under one roof is becoming harder to access. We also want to provide excellent but affordable dental care when you need it. Our solution is ‘The Total Care Club’, an exclusive club for our patients with limited membership capacity and an extensive range of exclusive benefits and perks
The Total Care Club will cover almost all of your dental needs in one easy-to-use package, whether it's a routine check-up, whitening for a special event, or dental care for your kids on our drop-in days, we ensure you are always covered.
If you would like to look further into what's included within our Total Care Club, you can find more information here!
