Oral health is important no matter what your age is. Just like with other health conditions, certain ages make you more susceptible to certain oral health issues. Dr. S. Jeremy Tu of Design Dental, a family dentist in Cedar Rapids, IA, discusses why family dentistry is so essential.
Age-Specific Care
Just because children have primary teeth that they lose doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be taken care of. The biggest issue with children is tooth decay. We can help to educate both patients and parents about the best ways to brush and floss those tiny teeth. Dental sealants may also be recommended as an extra layer of protection. These are painted onto the cusps of molars and other hard-to-reach areas.
When patients reach their late teens and early twenties, the wisdom teeth will make an appearance. Throughout your regular family dentistry visits, we’ll monitor the condition of the wisdom teeth and see if they’ll be removed. Wisdom tooth extraction is often recommended, as the jaw rarely has room for this set of extra molars.
Lastly, senior citizens have specific issues as well. Our teeth tend to get darker as we age, as well as the buildup of years of staining from food and drink. Teeth whitening services help to make your smile look younger. Seniors are also at a higher risk for missing teeth. Our office offers many tooth replacement options, including dental implants.
Catching Problems Earlier
With family dentistry, we recommend having regular dental visits every six months. Especially with children, our mouths are constantly growing and changing. With regular visits, we use diagnostic tools and expertise to monitor how much you’ve changed in your last visit. This is ideal to catch early symptoms of things like oral cancer or gum disease.
With children, their mouths are changing so much. We want to make sure that we ensure to refer them to a local orthodontist at the first signs of crooked teeth or a bite problem. When we catch issues early on, it allows us to adopt a more conservative treatment plan. This is preferred, as we want to ensure we use the most conservative treatment possible.
Starting Good Habits Early
It’s important for children to know the importance of oral health early on. It also helps to prevent dental anxiety in the future. When they’re already used to going to the dentist, it’s easier to continue. With family dentistry, you can sit with your child during their treatment for moral support. They can also sit with you while you get yours done so that they know there’s nothing they have to be afraid of.
Your Family Dentist in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
We’re here to take care of the dental needs of every member of your family. Call us or schedule an appointment online.