Your teeth are meant to last you a lifetime, and so it is hugely important indeed that you take care of them well. Ideally, this will mean brushing your teeth at least twice throughout the day, as well as flossing at least once. In addition to this, you’ll want to make sure that you go into see the dentist at least twice a year – perhaps more frequently if you are having any type of dental issues.
The same is true for your children. As soon as they have the very beginnings of teeth (typically around six months of age), you should wipe down these teeth buds with a wet cloth, gently getting them used to the process of brushing teeth. Getting your child in to see the dentist is also quite important, and should actually be done by the time that their first birthday has come to pass. Such steps towards regular care can go an incredibly long way – and can even help to improve overall life expectancy, as various studies have actually shown that the more natural teeth you are able to retain, the longer in general your life is likely to be. If you still have at least 20 natural teeth by the time that you reach the age of 70, then you are likely to still live for quite a few more years, especially in direct comparison to those who do not have very many natural teeth left by this age.
Unfortunately, far too few people are caring for their teeth in the ways that are needed. In fact, recent data more than backs this up, showing that only around 64% of all adults at the age of 65 or older have been to the dentist even just once over the course of the last year or so. And nearly the exact same percentage of all adults falling into the ages of 18 and 64 have been to the dentist in this same span of time. This means that far too many people are simply neglecting their teeth and preventing them from being cared for in the ways that are needed. To say the very least, this is something that is likely to prove quite harmful indeed at the end of the day.
For instance, the rate of cavities in such adult populations is likely to be all too high. As a matter of fact, it has even been estimated that up to one fifth of adults found all throughout the United States have at least one cavity that has gone untreated. And up to one quarter of all adults (more, even) have some other form of untreated tooth decay. Not only can this be detrimental to overall health, but it is also something that can be quite hugely painful as well, especially if proper treatment is not sought out. For a great many people, living with such dental health concerns is something that ends up being hugely detrimental to overall quality of life, to say the very least. For most people, living in such a way is far from pleasant, to say the very least.
And gum disease is a growing problem as well, with more than 40% of the adult population of 30 and above showing some signs, if even just small ones, of various types of gum decay. As dental offices will make all too clear, going in to see a dentist is essential for preventing this, as those who work in dental offices have the tools to treat gum decay and even to prevent it from happening. From the pediatric dentist to the regular dentist, watching out for gum disease has become a hugely important part of dental care all throughout dental offices in the entirety of the United States. After all, the best dental care is most certainly preventative dental care and dental offices are looking to avoid worsening or developing problems as much as they are able to do.
Therefore, visiting dental offices on a regular basis is just as important as taking other steps for your dental health, from brushing to flossing to avoiding the consumption of foods with way too much sugar in them.
