Importance of Dental Health for the Whole Family
The importance of seeing a dentist can’t be understated, and that isn’t just the case for you. Family dental care is just as important, if not more so. If you’re a parent, you’ll need to make sure you and your kids see the dentist regularly. Figuring out how often and when to go can be difficult, though.
With how vital it can be for you, your children, your baby, and even your parents, it’s worth spending more than a bit of time on. It’s worth breaking down what family dental care is, and when exactly you and your family should go to the dentist. As complicated as it might seem, it can be much simpler than you might’ve thought.
Since it’s a vital part of you and your family’s overall health care, it’s more than worth the effort.
Dental Milestones at All Ages
One of the key factors you’ll need to be aware of are dental milestones you and your family will go through during your lives. There are more than a few of these to be aware of, including:
- Babies get their first teeth between six months and one year old. They’ll get their first dental visit shortly afterward
- Molars start coming in around 12 years old
- Wisdom teeth start coming in shortly after this
With that, you’ll know exactly when you should start looking after your and your children’s teeth. It’s worth noting these moments to prepare for the milestones when they occur.
Infant: When To Introduce Your Baby To Dental Care
When you have a child, you’ll go through quite a few firsts. You’ll need to figure out when to start with more than a few things, including introducing your child to dental care. When should you bring your child to the dentist for the first time? As a rule of thumb, either around their first birthday or within six months of their first tooth erupting.
After that, it's a matter of seeing them about every six months. You should also clean your child’s teeth as soon as they start growing to make sure they have healthy, clean teeth.
Baby Teeth
Baby teeth are also called milk teeth or deciduous teeth. They’re the ones that first come in as a child and are usually replaced by permanent teeth in the future. There can be a lot of pain associated with this, which most parents will end up being aware of. These usually come in starting from about six months old.
The full set of teeth should be done by the time they’re two-and-a-half, but there’s often a bit of leeway with this. As alluded to above, you should start bringing your child to the dentist not long after their first set of teeth start coming in. Doing so at regular intervals is recommended, as it makes sure the teeth are coming in properly.
Adolescent: How To Help Start Permanent Teeth Off Strong
Your child’s permanent teeth will start coming in during their adolescence, with these being even more important to look after. They’ll be what your child has for the rest of their lives, after all. You’ll want to make sure their permanent teeth start off strong, which means putting some extra effort into it.
Bringing them to the dentist regularly is a key part of this, but your child also needs to brush their teeth regularly. At least twice a day is recommended for optimal dental health. A well-balanced diet and flossing regularly is also essential. Make sure your child knows how to do this properly and thoroughly.
Pregnancy: Importance Of Keeping Teeth During Pregnancy
Everyone knows pregnancy has a significant impact on a woman’s body. What’s often overlooked, though, is how much of a role it plays in your dental health. Hormonal changes could lead to an increased risk in gum disease and tooth decay, especially considering any changes in diet.
Then there’s the fact that severe gum disease in pregnant women has been linked to premature births and underweight newborns. Neither of these might be wanted, so it’s vital you look after your teeth throughout your pregnancy. Make sure your dentist knows you’re pregnant when you see them.
Older Adults: Dealing With Deteriorating Teeth
Older adults usually have more to worry about with their teeth than their younger counterparts. There’s an increased risk of more than a few things, with some of the more notable of these including:
- Tooth Decay - While this usually affects infants and teens more, it can still be an unfortunate part of old age. If you don’t look after your teeth regularly, you’ll still run the risk of your teeth decaying.
- Gum Disease - Gum disease is one of the more common dental problems people have to deal with as they age. It becomes increasingly more common the older you get. In time, this can lead to losing your teeth, among other issues.
- Oral Cancer - Peoples’ risks of most types of cancer increases as they age, and this is especially true with oral cancer. It’s especially important to get regular screenings for this, as it could end up being life-threatening.
There are also multiple things that could affect your teeth as you get older. Medications and drugs, certain illnesses, and similar factors will all play a role in this. All of this could get worse if you don’t properly look after your teeth as you get older.
No matter what stage of life you’re in, seeing the dentist regularly is vital. When you’re a part of a young and growing family, it’s something you’ll need to take seriously. That’s not just for you, but also for everyone else in your family. Make sure everyone’s seeing the dentist as much as they need to.
At Family Dental, we’re here to help you and your family with all of your dental needs. With us, you can rest easy knowing your dental health is well looked after. Give us a call at (208) 529-0120 to book an appointment for you and your family.