AGE 1-20
How can you set the stage for excellent lifelong oral health? Early preventative dental care and education is one of the best ways to help young children and teens develop a great relationship with their family dentists and learn valuable basics about tooth care.
Must Do
Make sure your child has his or her first checkup no later than age 3.
Dentists can detect the beginning signs of various problems, including bulimia, and we can have a great deal of influence on your child’s oral health habits. That’s why regular checkups with your family dentist can make a big difference in the future health of kids’ teeth.
Should Do
Look for a family dentist who can provide services like space retainers to help prevent the need for extensive orthodontics.
Make sure your family dentist provides plastic sealants, which can help prevent decay along the hard-to-clean chewing surfaces of childrens’ teeth.
Could Do
Even young people can consider cosmetic teeth whitening. Young people are concerned with their appearance and self-conscious, so a little cosmetic dentistry can help make them feel better about themselves.
Order a custom mouth guard for your young athlete. Studies show that 60% of sports-related injuries to the teeth, lips and gums can be avoided by wearing an athletic mouth guard.
AGE 21-40
Welcome to adulthood. During these years, people are very socially active and concerned about their careers, and looking their best is vital to success. But it’s easy to skip regular checkups because of busy schedules and lack of oral health problems. The problem is that early intervention is the best way to avoid big problems in the future.
Must Do
Regular checkups allow us to find the early signs of gum disease, cracks, infections, cavities, and problems with existing dental work.
Oral cancer is becoming increasingly common, and it has a low five-year survival rate. However, early detection makes for more successful treatment.
Should Do
If you have silver amalgam fillings from when you were younger, you may want to have them replaced with more attractive and durable white composite fillings.
Could Do
Because appearance is so important to personal and professional success, you might want to consider teeth whitening or porcelain veneers for a smile makeover. Studies show that 92% of Americans believe in the importance of an attractive smile!
AGE 41-65
Proper dental care can make a big difference in this phase of life, and if you’re a health-conscious person, you won’t want to neglect your smile!
Must Do
It’s estimated that up to 3/4 of adults over age 35 have some degree of gum disease, and gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss. We can look for signs of gum disease during checkups and provide treatment.
Sixty-three percent of “boomers” with an oral health problem considered to be an indication of a more serious problem, are unaware of the connection. Don’t skip your regular checkups.
Should Do
You may have silver-mercury amalgam fillings that were put in place when you were younger. Not only are they unsightly and can damage tooth structure, some people have concerns about other health disadvantages they present. Work with your dentist to systematically replace them with greatly improved, durable white-composite fillings.
Could Do
Aging can really take a toll on your smile’s appearance, but today’s teeth whitening treatments and other cosmetic dentistry procedures can help you discover a “fountain of youth” for the look of your smile.
AGE 65+
There are no age limits on having a healthy, beautiful smile. For the most part, losing teeth during the golden years has nothing to do with aging and everything to do with gum disease. More than ever before, it’s possible for a golden years smile to be a gorgeous ones!
Must Do
As you age, you’ll notice that your gums are receding, and this can leave your toot roots open to decay and disease. You may also have old dental work that now needs replacing because it’s becoming worn out. Regular dental checkups, as always, are vital at this stage.
Should Do
Today, many people who have seriously damaged or lost teeth are considering replacing them with dental implants. Dental implants can now beautify smiles by replacing missing teeth, and they look, feel and function just like natural teeth. A recent study indicates that nearly 90% of dental implant patients who previously wore dentures say they have more confidence and that the procedure would be worth repeating.
Could Do
Cosmetic porcelain veneers and teeth whitening are other options to beautify aging smiles and viable options you might consider to do for yourself. These procedures are not only affordable, but are relatively uncomplicated, too. In addition, with modern-day dental techniques, there’s very little discomfort associated with keeping your own teeth – all the more reason to sport an incredible smile for the rest of your life.
