No matter who old you are, visiting the dentist should be a priority, as you are at risk from different issues at different ages. Don’t pay for neglecting the dentist in later life and ensure you visit consistently to keep on top of your dental health.
Early years
The AAPD (American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry) recommend that children should visit the dentist by their first birthday, roughly around when their first tooth will erupt. Your child’s first couple of appointments will be useful for you as a parent as we can advise on how to brush and care for your child’s teeth as they continue to emerge.
Adolescents and teens
Your child’s adolescent and teen years are when they will begin to take full responsibility for the welfare of their teeth. This can be a challenging time for parents as children this age commonly neglect their teeth to start with, placing them at higher risk of gum disease and tooth decay. Regular dental check-ups for your child around this age will give you a rough idea of how your child is dealing with the responsibility of caring for their teeth. Orthodontic issues are commonly tackled around this age also.
Midlife
Annually/bi-monthly check-ups are essential around this time as teeth will begin to show more serious signs of wear. Restorations like crowns and fillings may begin to break down and need to be replaced and root canals become more common around this age. If you have sustained a missing tooth it is essential that you replace it as soon as possible in order to avoid health complications like jawbone loss which will affect speaking and chewing. Aesthetic changes can also occur as a result of a missing tooth as the jawbone recedes very quickly, causing an older-looking appearance.
Older years
Into your senior years, oral cancer screenings are particularly important as this can be caught quickly and treated. You may be taking medications for certain conditions and these can disrupt the stimulation of saliva which prevents your mouth from self-cleansing to remove food particles and harmful bacteria.
If you would like more information about how to keep your teeth healthy, please get in touch with our friendly team who can arrange a hygienist and dentist appointment for you here in Northampton.