People will go take leaps and bounds to stop their face and skin from aging, but do they even consider how their smile ages? Are you doing everything in your power to keep your teeth and gums looking as young as possible? Keeping a youthful smile is easy for the most part when you practice good preventive care. This means brushing your teeth and massaging your gums twice a day, flossing, and visiting your dentist in Ponte Vedra Beach routinely. Here’s some helpful information on how to keep a smile healthy through every stage of life.
Infants & Toddlers
We hope that all parents understand the importance of taking care of baby teeth. When you’re a baby, your gums and primary teeth still need to be taken care. This ensures your adult teeth will correctly develop into their correct places. If you have a baby or toddler, you can care for their teeth in these ways:
- Massaging their gums with a warm rag.
- Brushing their gums and first teeth after they’ve erupted.
- Flossing the minute their child has two teeth next to one another.
- Bringing their son or daughter to visit their children’s dentist in Ponte Vedra Beach at least by the time they’re a year old.
- Practicing their dental routine alongside them every morning and night.
Adolescents/Teens
As children advance into grade school, not only does it become important to their self-confidence, but their health as well, to have straightened teeth in their correct positions. You’ll find that their hormones will change right along with their teeth. Because their smile is always shifting and developing, it’s important to take your kids to visit their family dentist in Ponte Vedra Beach. We offer orthodontic options that can keep their teeth in the correct positions, just like our discreet Invisalign can offer these benefits for your teen:
- A practically invisible straightening treatment that nobody can tell you’re wearing.
- The ability to be removed to enjoy your favorite foods and clean your teeth properly.
- Comfortably shift your teeth in a shorter amount of time than traditional orthodontics.
Adults
Believe it or not, the most profound dental problem that adults face is gum disease. Did you know that more than 50% of American adults aged over 30 have periodontal disease (advanced gum disease)? Your gums should be healthy, pink, and firm. When infected with dental bacteria and debris, they will begin to deteriorate and become red, swollen, and sensitive. Whenever you try to practice your dental routine, they will most likely bleed and allow food and dental bacteria to enter your bloodstream through the pockets that form along your gum line. These pockets dramatically increase your chances of losing your teeth, developing heart disease, developing diabetes, and even increase your chances of having a stroke. Our dentists at Ponte Vedra Complete Dentistry can help keep your gums healthy in these ways:
- Professional cleanings and dental exams of your teeth and gums.
- Deep, revitalizing scaling and root planing to reverse the health of your gums.
- Recommend more frequent in-depth cleanings when gum disease is present.
Seniors
As you age, the chances of you losing your teeth increase. Luckily, if you do happen to lose a tooth or even several, Ponte Vedra Complete Dentistry has a variety of restorative options that can help rebuild your smile. To avoid tooth loss, you can head these tips from our dental professionals:
- Stay hydrated.
- Care for your dental prosthetics properly if you have them (we can assist you if you need it).
- Maintain a healthy diet so that your smile receives the vitamins and nutrients it needs to stay strong.
- Practice good oral hygiene at home and visit your dentist every 6 months.
Contact Dr. Harth or Dr. Townsend Today!
When it comes to taking care of your teeth, it’s important to practice good dental health throughout your whole life. Contact our office so that we can help you—no matter what age you or your loved ones are—maintain healthy teeth and gums.