The teeth are among the most sensitive and important aspects of the human body that need care, and children and adults alike are conscious about both the health and appearance of their teeth. Healthy and attractive teeth make for a good smile and also mean no pain or issues with speech or eating, while damaged, missing, or infected teeth can be painful and expensive to fix at a dental center or a family dentist. A dental clinic and a dentist’s office will offer all sorts of services for teeth, ranging from routine cleaning and inspection all the way to getting filling for cavities put in or even getting teeth extracted for one reason or another. A dental care center will have the dentists and dental assistants ready to perform whatever work is needed to restore a person’s teeth.
Dentistry Today
Dentistry ranks among the top 10 most trusted and ethical professions in the United States today, and many Americans visit the dentist both as children and adults. Generally, a person should get dental checkups once every six months or so, and this allows them to be warned early about developing issues such as cavity formation, wisdom teeth coming in, or discoloration of the teeth. Similarly, the AAPD recommends that kids and teenagers see a pediatric dentist every six months to get regular checkups, which may include an exam, cleaning work, fluoride treatment, and sometimes X-rays so that cavities and other problems will not develop. Gum disease may also be prevalent, and many Americans who have it are not even aware of it since the symptoms may be easy to miss.
Often, dental assistants are students at dental school or are recent graduates, and they get hands-on training at a dental center to build up their experience and skills, and many of them consider dental work a proper career that is rewarding and pays well, and these assistants may be highly motivated at a dental center, so patients are often in good hands. This can include both regular dentists’ offices and pediatric dental centers.
Common Problems and Fixes
What can go wrong in a patient’s mouth? Cavities are common issues when enough bacteria eat their way into teeth, and many Americans have them. Cavities require filling, and this can be done with various metals, including gold. A person with cracked or worn crowns can have new crowns and dental implants put in, and many adult Americans take this route to restore their teeth. Crowding, meanwhile, occurs when teeth cannot grow in their proper place and are pushed out of the way by other teeth, resulting in unnatural tooth formations that can impair eating or speech. Often, the emergence of wisdom teeth is what causes crowding, and this can be fixed when wisdom teeth are pulled out or when retainers are put in place to align the teeth properly. Such retainers are often clear and not easy for others to see. And if an adult tooth is knocked out or otherwise missing, it can be replaced with a false tooth at the doctor’s office.
Personal Dental Care
Children and adults alike can reduce the chances of developing serious tooth problems if they practice good dental habits, and this can reduce how often they have to visit a dental center aside from checkups. Brushing teeth with a quality toothbrush and toothpaste is a staple of tooth care that can go a long way, and a person should brush their teeth after they eat to prevent sugars from feeding bacteria that produce plaque. Good toothpaste will clear out bacteria and plaque alike and eliminate the sugars that they feed upon, and bristles should cover all surfaces and may even reach deep between the teeth. Floss, meanwhile, can reach even deeper between the teeth where toothbrushes cannot reach, and mouthwash can both freshen breath and kill off any remaining bacteria in the mouth.
Children and adults alike can also avoid behaviors or risks that can threaten their teeth. Using tobacco, whether cigarettes or chewing tobacco, damages the teeth and gums rapidly and can discolor them, and even raise the risk of mouth cancer. Hard items such as ice cubes should never be chewed on, or a person may risk cracking their enamel or crowns. Mouth guards can be worn during sports activities.