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In our previous post, regarding adults and children not visiting the dentist enough, we discussed how a trend takes place when adults do not prioritize dental visits. The statistics presented by the American Dental Association demonstrated how only slightly more than 50% of adults consistently visit the dentist on the recommended basis (every six months) converts into almost the same amount for children.

At Centra Dental, we see that as a problem for the general health of teeth. Our south Houston dentists focus on pediatric dentistry because we understand the value of children’s teeth. We work to prevent or eliminate cavities and periodontal disease in kids. Our goal is not simply to have adults and children visit the dentist for prevention purposes, but to educate our dental patients on how to best take care of their oral health. Many patients grow up not understanding the importance of brushing twice daily, and flossing and rinsing daily.

EDUCATING PARENTS ABOUT EARLY ORTHO

Visiting the dentist as a kid is very important because of what is learned about teeth. It is also important because the pediatric dentist can find potential problems that can be addressed and fixed.

Early ortho is part of the process of addressing problems before they cause real harm. Most people do not develop perfectly straight teeth. There are millions who have crooked, misaligned or gapped teeth. These issues can allow for food particles to become hidden in hard to reach areas of the teeth, which can lead to cavities and gum disease.

At Centra Dental, we believe in the effectiveness of early ortho. Correcting teeth that suffer from these problems will help with the patient’s oral health in the long run. Straight teeth enable patients to keep every area of their teeth protected from plaque, food particles, and other issues.

What needs to take place in order to best protect teeth in our younger patients is that older patients need to understand the importance of visiting the dentist on a regular basis.

PROTECT YOUR CHILD’S ORAL HEALTH

If your child is in need of a pediatric dentist, then contact our south Houston dental office today and schedule an appointment. Early ortho is a major part of what we do at Centra Dental. Allow us to address any orthodontic problems you or your child may have.

Children’s teeth are vital to the development of not only their oral health, but their entire physical health and mental health. Parents with children must consider the short-term and long-term benefits of training a child how to best take care of their teeth. It is incredibly important to ensure that children are brushing twice daily, flossing, and rinsing.

Oral health may be common idea that sounds positive, but the sound of it isn’t getting through to a lot of people. According to the American Association of Pediatric Dentists (AAPD), the state of children’s teeth continues to worsen over the years.

A recent study conducted by the AAPD, showed that 5-10% of children have oral health issues by the time they turn three years old. That number leaps dramatically to 60% by the time they reach five. In that number, 40% of those children will have contracted a dental carie when they enter kindergarten.

HOW DO DENTAL CARIES AFFECT CHILDREN?

It isn’t simply about cavities. Oral health issues go much further and deeper than that. According to the AAPD, poor oral health affects the mind and body. Here are some of the issues:

Oral Health

• Loss of baby teeth
• Pain
• Damage to permanent teeth
• Crooked teeth
• Vulnerable to caries and gum disease through life

General Health

• Infections to ears, sinuses, cuts and brain
• Life-threatening infections
• Poor sleeping habits
• Chewing difficulty/Malnutrition/Insufficient Growth
• Disability

Intellectual Development

• Poor speech articulation
• Poor school performance
• Missed school
• Inattention in school

Social Development

• Reluctance to speak, smile, or play
• Teasing from others
• Low self-esteem
• Social ostracism

Yes, taking care of kids teeth extremely important, which is why we are so passionate about kids’ teeth. We want your children to enjoy having a beautiful and healthy smile as they grow up, but it is only possible if they start now and remain consistent.

DOES YOUR CHILD NEED A KIDS DENTIST?

Schedule your child’s dental appointment today for pediatric dentistry. Start your child on the right path and keep them moving forward to pristine oral health. We look forward to helping you child remain strong and avoid any of those issues the AAPD mentioned.

Millions of Americans visit the dentist every day. Millions of Americans do not visit the dentist every day. Either one makes perfect sense. But how do we know if people are going to the dentist consistently? The Health Policy Institute (HPI) of the American Dental Association (ADA) conducts research on dental-related topics, including the consistency of dental visits in the US.

STATISTICS ON ADULT DENTAL VISITS

While there are a higher percentage of people who visit the dentist on a regular basis, there is still a large percentage that do not. The HPI, in a recent study, discovered that only slightly more than 50% (52.3%) of adults consistently visited their dentist on the recommended basis (every six months), while the rest were either inconsistent, or just didn’t go. Here are those statistics:

• 15.4% indicated they visited their dentist once per year;
• 11% indicated they visited their dentist only once every two or three years;
• 21.3% alarmingly indicated they had not visited their dentist in the past few years.

STATISTICS ON CHILD DENTAL VISITS

These statistics show that nearly 50% of adults do not hold their dental visits as high priority. The following statistics show that this mentality is better, but not much better with parents who have children under the age of 18:

• 64.6% indicated that their children had consistently visited their dentist on the recommended basis (every six months);
• 20.3% indicated they had visited their dentist only once in the past year;
• 4.4% indicated they had visited their dentist only once in the past two or three years;
• 10.7% indicated they had not visited their dentist at all in the past few years.

Ultimately, there is just an approximate 10% difference in adults ensuring they consistently visit their dentist and the children who consistently visit their dentist. This percentage difference is not wide enough to ensure that more people are growing up understanding the importance of going to the dentist.

At Centra Dental in Houston, we educate all of our patients - children and adults - on the importance of consistently visiting the dentist. Be certain to schedule your dental appointment every six months to keep your teeth as healthy as possible. Contact our Houston dental office today and schedule your appointment.

Not everyone is born with perfect teeth. In fact, it’s a rarity. This is why braces are in such high demand. Straight teeth always provide our south Houston patients with great confidence. They are able to smile more freely and know that they have an attractive smile that benefits their everyday life.

At Centra Dental, we provide patients, kids and adults, with a thorough dental examination to survey the state of the teeth. Not every set of teeth are the same, so not every set of teeth receives the same diagnosis. Depending on the extent of the dental issues, more time may be required, of course, the time requirement also depends on how old the patient is. Younger patients’ teeth are more pliable than older adults. There are various problems which require either less or more work. Here are some of the issues:

• Gapped Teeth - Plenty of people, young and old, have gapped teeth, even if there are only a few gaps. Some people have straight teeth all around except for in between the two front top teeth. Gaps in the teeth are a relatively simple problem to address. The braces will simply begin to push the teeth closer together until they are completely aligned. The fewer the gaps, the less time required. The younger the patients, the easier the teeth will move. For minimal gaps, patients can use any of three options we provide: traditional metal braces, ceramic braces, or clear plastic trays.
• Misaligned Teeth - This is a more serious issue as the teeth may be suffering from several problems. Misaligned means they are staggered. Teeth may be further back or upfront, but they are not in line with each other. Along with not being in line, they could also be gapped. This problem takes more time to fix and typically can’t be adjusted with plastic tray braces, or at least that is not our recommendation.
• Malocclusion - This is a major issue with teeth because it means that they are not only misaligned and gapped, but also are causing problems with chomping down. The alignment from top to bottom is off. This oral issue usually takes the longest to correct with braces, and usually with metal or ceramic braces.

IN NEED OF BRACES?

Are you suffering from any of the following dental issues? If so, you need braces to straighten out the problem. Our south Houston dental office provides various types of braces to help you smile again. Contact our office today. We look forward to helping you and your family.