River Walk Dental Orthodontics

1431 Palo Alto Rd, Suite 104, San Antonio, TX 78211

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Dental hygiene tips for healthy teeth & gums

Family Dental Care to Offer You the Smile You Have Always Wanted

The importance of dental care is well known and understood to all. However, there are times when we miss a regular checkup, owing to multiple reasons. Since oral health is related to the overall health, therefore it is important for you to get in touch with a dentist to offer your family the benefits of professional dental care.

The Importance of Dental Care for Your Family

Toddlers

  • The first teeth of babies appear in between 6-10 months. It can also vary. In some toddler, it appears as early as 3 months whereas there are some they appear as late as 12 months. Once the child turns 3, all the primary teeth have arrived.
  • The process of teeth eruption results in tender, irritating and swollen gums. To sooth the gums, you can rub them with a clean finger or frozen teething ring.
  • Toddlers have a habit of thumb sucking. Though this habit is common, it might eventually lead to problems in jaw development and teeth positioning. Sucking on pacifier for an extended period of time also results in protruded teeth. Another best way to help your child get rid of thumb sucking is inculcating positive reinforcement.
  • This is also an important phase to get your child started with brushing habits. Always be gentle and use fluoride toothpaste for brushing your toddler’s teeth.
  • Using a toothbrush with soft bristles should be the first choice. Make sure that your child doesn’t swallow the toothpaste.

Children

  • At this stage, primary teeth are important for the overall oral health. They help for chewing and also play an important role in ensuring proper alignment and spacing between the teeth.
  • The jaw starts growing significantly to make space for teeth. The enamel which is fully formed is still porous and mineralized.
  • The diet of your child must be taken proper care at this stage. Sugar consumption should be noted seriously. Also, you must restrict the amount of sweet in between meals and prevent snacking. Make sure that your child gets a healthy diet instead of sugary and hard food that is difficult to chew, eat and ultimately damage teeth or gums.
  • The total brushing time of your child should also be monitored. It is important to brush twice a day for maintaining healthy gums and teeth.

Teenagers

  • Children aged between 10-12 are still losing their primary teeth. The last baby tooth is lost at the age of 12 and by this time, the second permanent molars start appearing. Permanent teeth are new so they are prone to decay.
  • Teenagers at the age of 16-20 get their wisdom teeth. They either grow earlier, later or never at all.
  • Dentists often recommend the removal of wisdom teeth because they are difficult to manage and cause problems.
  • At teenage, there is often a lot of peer pressure seen. This can compel them to make choices that are unhealthy for their overall health.
  • There are kids who need braces at the stage because of misaligned teeth. You can get in touch with our dentists who are trained in pediatric dentistry and seek assistance for your child’s healthy teeth.
  • As a parent, you must help your child opt for healthy lifestyle choices to prevent gum decay or damage.

Adults

  • This stage is the most complicated because a lot of people in this stage are seen neglecting their oral health. So, they are at an increased risk of getting gum disease or even tooth loss and other severe oral infections.
  • These oral health issues lead to other complicated problems like diabetes, BP, Cancer and so on.
  • Patients must brush and floss on a regular basis to maintain a healthy mouth.

Older People

  • At this stage, most of them don’t have natural teeth. However, the left ones must be taken care of properly since they are prone to oral health issues, decay and damage.
  • Brushing becomes a tough job because of deteriorating health at this stage. People are often found with arthritis in fingers and hands that makes brushing difficult.
  • An electric toothbrush is recommended at this stage. Dentures should be cleaned on a regular basis.

Consult our family dentist today. They have the experience and understanding of analyzing your oral health conditions. So don’t miss your family’s dental checkup to ensure healthy smiles in your family.

Book an Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.