Top 5 Reasons to Visit the Dentist and Oral Care at Any Age

While practicing good oral hygiene is vital to your holistic health, there is only so much that personal oral maintenance can do. A normal person can easily overlook conditions that could greatly complicate or even end his or her life. Thus, visiting your dentist for regular checkups is just as important as brushing your teeth, flossing, and eating a balanced diet. The following is a list of reasons why you should visit your dentist frequently:

1) To prevent gum disease

Gum disease, specifically gingivitis, is a leading cause of tooth decay and tooth loss. If gum disease is discovered and diagnosed early, it can be treated efficiently and then nullified. However, if left untreated, gum disease can advance to become periodontitus, a more severe and irreversible stage. This may then lead to serious damage of the gum tissue and jaw bone, causing your teeth to fall out. This late stage of gum disease can also increase your risk of developing a heart attack or stroke.

(See http://video.about.com/dentistry/Gingivitis.htm for a video about the causes and effects of gingivitis.)

2) To prevent oral cancer

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, a United States citizen will die from this type of cancer every hour of every day. Of similar concern is the fact that out of the 34,000 newly diagnosed Americans every year, only half of these people will be alive in the next five years. However, while attending your regular dental checkup, your dentist and oral hygienist screen you for this specific cancer. Thus, if you have oral cancer, there is an extremely good chance that you can be cured of it if diagnosed early.

3) To avoid losing your teeth

Without your teeth, normal eating habits can obviously be far more difficult. Also, taking care of your natural teeth now will help you avoid paying for dentures later. As stated previously, gum disease can easily lead to adult tooth loss, but regular visits to your dentist and good oral hygiene can prevent it.

4) To prevent dental emergencies

Toothaches, a broken jaw, chipped teeth, and other dental emergencies can be easily circumvented with regular dental visits. Early signs or symptoms of these unpleasant and potentially painful conditions can be detected and treated by your dentist. If left untreated, you may have to endure root canals or forced tooth removals in order to cure these problems.

(See http://video.about.com/dentistry/Root-Canal.htm for a video about root canal procedures.)

5) To help maintain good overall health

Since gum disease is a major risk factor for heart disease, stoke, and certain forms of cancer, regular visits to your dentist can help you prevent and treat this disease. Thus, by treating your conditions early and learning from your dentist how to prevent oral damage, you can achieve better health and more quality years of life.

There are many aspects of good oral hygiene that are very age specific. The following information is divided into age groups with listed tips.

Infants:

• For mothers to be, tetracycline, a common antibiotic, can cause tooth discoloration for your baby and should not be used by nursing mothers or by expectant mothers in the last half of pregnancy.
• Teething usually starts at around 6 months and should be brushed and flossed daily
• Avoid baby bottle decay by not allowing your baby to fall asleep with a bottle full of juice or milk (try water or a pacifier) and make sure to wipe teeth and gums with a gentle cloth or gums after feeding
• If your water is not fluoridated, ask your doctor about daily fluoride supplements, because fluoride is very important even before teeth start forming

Toddlers/Children

• As teeth begin to grow in, this may be very painful so gently rubbing gums with your finger, a frozen teething ring or a pain relief medication can help (contact your dentist or pediatrician about prescriptions)
• Thumb sucking is a natural reflex for toddlers, but the habit may result in permanent bite issues (i.e. buck teeth or overbite) so stopping this behavior through positive reinforcement (praise for not sucking on thumb) or bitter tasting medication can help
• Make sure to use a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste when brushing your child’s teeth
• Regular dental appointments should begin being scheduled at age two

Teenagers

• Make sure you talk to your teen about the importance of oral hygiene especially potential teeth stains, bad breath and missing teeth without brushing twice a day and flossing once daily
• Set a good example by practicing good oral hygiene yourself
• Keep junk foods at a low around the household, instead keep fresh fruits and vegetables around for snacking
• Discourage oral piercing as they can be risky and increase risk for oral infections and can cause injury to the entire mouth or teeth

Adults

• Brush twice daily and floss once to remove plaque that can cause tooth decay
• Watch for signs of gingivitis (gum disease) such as redness, swelling or tenderness and contact your dentist if you experience any
• Visit the dentist for regular cleanings
• Limit sugary foods and eat an otherwise healthy diet
• If sensitivity to cold or hot liquids, as it can with age, you should increase contact your dentist
  

Sources:

“Top 5 Reasons to Visit the Dentist” by Tammy Davenport, http://dentistry.about.com/od/dentalhealth/tp/visit_dentist.htm

The Oral Cancer Foundation, http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/

The American Dental Association, http://www.ada.org/

Colgate Family Guide to Oral Care, http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/OC/Information/OralHealthBasics/GoodOralHygiene/OralHygieneBasics/FamilyGuideOralHealth.cvsp