General dentistry
Family Dentistry. Treatment solutions for all generations.
Family Dentistry places an emphasis on treatment solutions for all generations of your family. From young babies to toddlers, primary school children to teenagers, through to young adults, grandparents and great grandparents – our dentistry needs change as we grow through every stage of our lives.
About Family Dentistry at Drouin Dental.
At Drouin Dental, we understand the wide variance of risks presenting across patients of all ages. We believe education is the key to good oral hygiene at any age. Below we have covered some of the key factors and considerations presenting for patients at every age.
Young Babies and Children.
- Ideally a child should attend the dentist by their second birthday.
- Good brushing and flossing is essential for healthy teeth and gums later in life.
- Clean your child’s teeth with a soft toothbrush with toothpaste containing fluoride until eight years of age
- Closely monitor attempts at self-cleaning from eight years onwards
- Introduce a healthy diet limiting high sugar or acidic foods
Early to Late Teens.
- Soft drinks and sport drinks contain high amounts of sugar which increase the chances of tooth decay.
- Tongue piercings can crack teeth and damage gums
- Grinding often begins at this age due to stressors presenting at high school
- Orthodontic treatments commonly begin during teenage years
Younger Adults.
- Wisdom teeth can present in young adults resulting in pain, swelling and infection and usually requires the extraction of problem teeth.
- Pregnancy hormones can speed up the progression of gum disease
- Morning sickness and cravings result in a larger incidence of tooth decay.
Adults.
- Decay and loss of teeth, gum disease and dental restoration failures regularly present
- As we age the risk of gum disease increases.
- The likelihood of tooth decay increases, particularly around existing fillings
- Some medications reduce saliva flow, increasing tooth decay
- Existing dental restorations, including fillings and crowns start to break down and need to be replaced
- Tooth loss increases and with that, remaining teeth are more likely to fracture, break or drift if not treated in a timely manner
Older Adults.
- Adult issues continue
- Old amalgam fillings need replacing as they contribute to cracking teeth and release mercury
- Modern dental implants replace traditional dentures for higher levels of functionality and aesthetic appearance