Family Dentistry In Grand Rapids, MI - Miller Dental
Healthy Smiles, Healthy Families
Good oral health is important at every age. Healthy teeth and gums signify more than an attractive smile—it often reflects good general health, confidence and a personal sense of well-being. Proper oral hygiene starting at home can help protect your family’s teeth from cavities and prevent gum disease.
What are the benefits of a family dentist?
Creating Good Habits
Seeing your family dentist regularly helps build a good relationship between the dentist, their office and your child. Starting these healthy habits early helps your child take their oral health seriously as they grow older. Additionally, This positive relationship between dentist and child allows for a solid foundation on which your child can build a healthy dental routine into adulthood.
Consolidating Appointments
A family dentist sees patients of all ages, allowing everyone in your family to see the same dentist at the same office. This also allows you to stack your root canal appointment with your children’s dental cleaning or Grandma’s routine examination. This saves time and requires less time off work or school.
Keeping Records In One Place
Since the whole family has appointments at the same office, meaning all the dental records come from the same office as well. This means easy access to your family’s records in case of an emergency or if another doctor, such as an oral surgeon, requires them.
Preventative Care
Preventing tooth decay and gum disease has two main requirements: a strong at-home oral care routine and regular dental examinations and cleanings twice a year. Forrester Family Dental can help you prevent these conditions in the whole family with regular examinations and cleanings. These visits give the mouth a clean slate when it comes to decay-causing plaque and tartar and allows your dentist to find and treat conditions like cavities early, with less invasive procedures.
Regular visits to the family dentist help reduce your costs and safeguard your oral health
Dental problems are always easier and less expensive to treat when they're small. Filling cavities tends to weaken teeth because a portion of the healthy tooth structure must be removed along with the decayed area. Treating small cavities preserves healthy tooth structure and helps you avoid the more complicated and expensive procedures that are needed when tooth decay isn't spotted until it's very advanced.
Regular dental visits include professional dental cleanings, which can help lower your risk of developing cavities or gum disease. During the cleanings, plaque and tartar are removed from your teeth before they can cause any damage. Your dentist also looks for other signs of disease, such as tumors that may be signs of oral cancer. He can even spot symptoms of general health problems during those visits. For example, if you have diabetes, you may be more likely to develop gum disease and bleeding gums.
The following tips can help your family reach optimal oral health to promote a lifetime of healthy smiles:
1. Practice Good Oral Hygiene
The health of your smile is a reflection of how well you take care of your teeth and gums. It should go without saying that you and your family should brush your teeth at least twice a day, and floss daily to remove plaque build up from the large surfaces of the teeth and under the gums. Most of us learn these habits as children, and that’s why it’s important for parents to play an active role in helping kids learn the proper techniques for brushing and flossing.
2. Snacking & Tooth Decay
Frequent snacking can be your mouth’s biggest enemy. That’s because when sugars or starches in your mouth come in contact with plaque, the acids produced can attack teeth for several minutes after you finish eating. Repeated attacks can break down the enamel on the surface of teeth, fueling tooth decay. To prevent cavities, consume sugary foods and drinks with meals rather than in between. If you must snack throughout the day, then brush immediately after to cleanse the mouth of food.
Along with limiting how frequently you eat, you should also pay attention to the types of foods and drinks your family is consuming. Limit your intake of sugary, starchy foods, and replace them with healthy choices, such as raw vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains.
3. Fluoride
Teeth are attacked by plaque daily. The acids produced by plaque weaken the enamel, which eventually leads to decay. That’s why it is important to make sure you are getting enough fluoride. Fluoride is absorbed into the enamel, helping to repair and prevent cavities. Some children may benefit from fluoride supplements. Ask Jacob S. Miller, DDS about the best fluoride treatment plan for your family at your next visit.
4. Check ups
Regular visits to your Grand Rapids, MI dentist are a very important part of maintaining good dental health. The American Dental Association recommends scheduling dental appointments twice a year. A professional dentist can detect problems in their earliest stages, and will make sure your kids’ teeth are developing properly as they grow. Jacob S. Miller, DDS can clean the areas of your teeth that regular brushing can’t, helping you avoid unnecessary cavities and dental treatment.
If you neglect the care of your teeth at home and fail to go to the dentist regularly, accumulated plaque could potentially lead to the development of tooth decay, gum disease and even tooth loss. The good news is that being diligent about your dental health care at home and by seeing your dentist on a regular basis, you and your family will be more likely to keep your teeth and gums healthy for a lifetime.
To make Miller Dental your family dentist contact our Grand Rapids, MI dental office today!
Give us a call at (616) 364-7039!