Why a Family Dentist Is The Best Alternative For Your Dental Care

Why a Family Dentist Is The Best Alternative For Your Dental Care

Author: Xhoana Gjelaj

Everyone knows the basic principles of caring for their teeth and gums right? Brushing at least twice daily along with flossing everyday is really just something advertisements on the television advise you to do. Creating a good working relationship with your dentist and staff is one thing that will serve your family also. An experienced team that knows your needs and has seen your children\'s teeth develop through the years is a great asset to your family\'s health.
In this article we\'ll investigate several age specific dental needs to enable you to see all the benefits of this long lasting relationship.
Starting off in infancy while teeth are growing and beginning to emerge, problems might be seen in new teeth known as baby bottle rot. This occurs primarily with children who are put to bed with a bottle of milk or formula. The supply of sugars and acids in the formula is held in the mouth long enough for them to create harm. It is something that can very easily be prevented. A good idea could be to go as far as giving some water to the baby following a bottle of formula or milk, thereby reducing the acids remaining in the mouth.
The other concern parents and their family dental practice may face is a common one also, thumb or finger sucking. As primary teeth appear, a foreign object in the mouth on a regular basis or while the child is sleeping can damage the growth pattern. Just like in later life a retainer or braces would be used to reverse this damage the constant presence of the thumb or fingers will cause it.
Your family dental team can even assess before the age of 5 by looking at the spacing of baby teeth and development of the jaw. An excellent way to catch problems early on is by having a panoramic x-ray done around 5 years old. This will provide a good view of any possible problems with the development and placement of adult teeth. It will also clearly show any that may be absent so that care of those valuable existing teeth can be optimized. This is not as uncommon as you might think as some people live all of their lives with some of their baby teeth still in place.
In rare cases an evaluation may lead to the need to expand the palate to allow for adult sized teeth or aligning and correcting a cross bite. This isn\'t as scary as it appears in fact you would be amazed how flexible the palate is and for just how long. In fact palatal enlargement can be adjusted up to 14 to sixteen years old for girls and sixteen to eighteen years of age for boys. The bones of the skull haven\'t solidified at this stage. It is certainly worth knowing these things early rather than having to take more traumatizing steps down the line.
There is no substitute for attention to home dental care. This lies virtually completely on parents the first six years of a child\'s life since they do not have the motor skills for brushing teeth much less flossing. But this also is an opportunity in that the discipline and teaching of dental care will remain ingrained much better with this guidance. There are several great tools available to aid with this chore. Explore the dental care aisle at your local drug store and you might be astonished at the tools available, among them tooth brushes with timers and small floss holders, that make flossing much easier and right for use on children. Surprisingly just having your child hold their mouth open long enough for you to help with cleaning will likely be of great value to reduce the fear factor for that very first visit to the family dental office.
So in conclusion, here is our list of suggestions for children from infancy to 6 years of age:
Begin a relationship with a good family dental team early in the infant\'s life so developments of any possible problems are seen at an earlier stage.
Discourage feeding from a bottle in the crib because this may cause damage to primary teeth.
Discourage thumb or finger sucking because this can harm correct alignment of teeth and cause malformation of palate.
Have your family dental team take a panoramic x-ray around the age of five to check for possible adult tooth development and eruption.
Don\'t forget that you will be the home care giver for the child\'s dental care for several years but you can make that a good time in your day and quality time for your child with some creativity and the right tools. We will be glad to help with dental hygiene product information that may be helpful when you visit our family dental office.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/why-a-family-dentist-is-the-best-alternative-for-your-dental-care-3064348.html

About the AuthorExcellent dental health starts out early in life. and Dr. Xhoana Glelaj at Tarpon Family Dental in Tarpon Springs provides an unparelled amount of care. She is a gentle dentist for all age ranges and employs the latest in dental technology for your comfort and convenience. Visit Tarpon Family Dental today.