If you’re pregnant, allow our Federal Way dentist office be among the first to offer you congratulations. And while we’re at it, allow us to remind you of the important ramifications that pregnancy has on your dental care. You will want to take particular care during the next nine months to assure that your child and your teeth both make it through happy and healthy.
If possible, it’s a good idea to alert your dentist before you get pregnant. After all, there are dental procedures that are best avoided during much of your pregnancy. If you are due for a dental x-ray, you will want to get it done before you become pregnant. Even a routine cleaning should be planned around your pregnancy, preferably avoiding the first and third trimester.
Meanwhile, the changes that go on in your body during pregnancy are putting your teeth at risk. Hormonal fluctuations interfere with your ability to combat gum disease, while frequent bouts of vomiting brought on by morning sickness are exposing your teeth to harsh acids. Keep a close vigil on your teeth and gums, maintain strict oral hygiene, and talk to your dentist about any concerns you may have.
Some people ask our Federal Way dentist about when they should bring their children in for their first dental visit. The fact is that dental care starts almost immediately. Even before your child’s primary teeth are visible, the choices you make can affect his or her smile for many years to come.
Your child’s primary teeth may not last long, but they’re just as important to take care of as the permanent teeth that will eventually replace them. After all, these are the teeth that your child uses to learn how to chew, develop proper speech patterns, and cultivate healthy self-esteem. Meanwhile, children who learn good oral care habits at a young age are significantly more likely to retain these habits into adulthood.
Before these teeth come in, your infant’s gums are still vulnerable to gingivitis. Some of the bigger risks include “bottle mouth”, which is a pattern of gum rot that occurs when a child is allowed to fall asleep with a bottle of milk or juice in his or her mouth. Damage to the gums at this stage can affect how the teeth develop, so be on guard.
The general recommendation is that you bring your child in for his or her first dental visit within six months of seeing primary teeth, or by his or her first birthday. So when the time comes, don’t delay; make sure your child gets the dental care he or she needs with Bella Dental.
Your teen and pre-teen years are an important stage in your dental health. This is the time when you’re getting a full set of permanent teeth, and suddenly you’re playing for keeps with every brushing and flossing. Take the advice of our Federal Way dentist, and you should develop the right habits in order to hang on to your teeth throughout the rest of a long and healthy life.
- Cavities aren’t just for children! Brush twice a day, for two minutes at a time, and floss daily.
- Limit your intake of sugary and starchy foods.
- Do you participate in sports? Wear a mouthguard! They’re cheap, they’re easy, and they can save you a lot of grief if you ever take an unfortunate blow to the teeth.
- Don’t smoke. In addition to all the well-known downsides, it stains your teeth, fouls-up your breath, breaks down your bone structure and puts you at higher risk of gum disease.
- Avoid piercings in the lips, tongue, and cheek. These are huge tooth-chipping hazards, and they increase your risk of tooth decay and gum recession.
- See your dentist every six months!
When you’re taking care of yourself for the first time, your priorities change. Whether it’s because of anxiety, money issues, or just plain old apathy, many adults neglect their regular dental visits when they first move away from home. However, or Federal Way dentist wishes to remind you that tooth decay doesn’t take time off; if you don’t take it upon yourself to maintain proper dental care, then you’re inviting serious problems down the line.
One of the most important points we can impress upon you is that you’re not necessarily free of tooth decay just because you don’t feel any pain. You generally won’t feel a cavity until it’s time for a root canal, which is why the only way to detect them before they go too far is to keep up your regular dentist appointments. If you don’t stay on top of your dental infections, they can actually spread to other parts of the body over time and possibly even threaten your life.
Fortunately, dental disease is highly preventable if you just follow a few simple rules. If you haven’t already developed good brushing and flossing habits by this point in your life, now is a good time to start. Eat a balanced diet, and avoid snacking too frequently between meals. And most importantly, get in touch with a good dentist and keep up a schedule of dental visits every six months. It just might save your life.
In many ways, getting older no longer means that you necessarily have to age all that much. With the help of our Federal Way dentistry clinic, for example, there’s no reason that you can’t hang on to your natural teeth throughout middle age and well into your golden years!
The unfortunate truth is that the average adult between the age of twenty and sixty-four has at least three decayed or missing teeth. Though there was a time not too long ago where this was considered an inevitable part of aging, proper dental care should easily be enough to save you from such damage. Keep up your brushing routine, keep up your flossing, and always remember to see your dentist once every six months.
If you do have the misfortune to lose a permanent tooth, it is in your best interest to have it replaced. A gap in your teeth is not just unsightly, uncomfortable, and a hinderance to your chewing patterns, but it also leads to a breakdown in your jaw bone. Teeth adjacent to a missing tooth naturally drift into the vacant space over time, slowly warping your jaw, throwing off your bite, and giving your face that crooked, aged look. If you need a new tooth installed, contact Bella Dental to discuss your options.
Your health care tends to become more of a concern as you advance in years, and good health starts with good teeth. Our Federal Way dentist can help you to maintain a healthy mouth which, by extension, can also do wonders to prevent many of the worse problems associated with old age.
Dental care is more of a concern during your golden years, as many people begin to suffer from dry mouth. This is a condition that can be brought on by many different forces, including certain medications, treatments, or ailments that you may be afflicted with. When your mouth goes dry, it loses much of its ability to battle tooth decay and gum disease. You therefore need to take greater measures to keep your teeth cleaned.
Meanwhile, a clean set of teeth is a good first step towards an overall healthier body. Infections in the oral cavity have been linked to heart disease, stroke, pneumonia, diabetic problems, and other issues that are common after the age of sixty. So brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day, and continue to see your dentist at least once every six months.
