Your Healthy Smile – a timeline of what you should do at ages 1 – 20

| September 30, 2013

1-20-healthy-smile

OVER THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS, we are going to trace a timeline for your lifelong, healthy smile! And to help make it useful and actionable for you, we’re breaking the content into four age categories. This also gives us a chance to share some “age-specific” concerns and tips.

Even if YOU don’t fall into the age range of today’s blog post, you certainly know and/or care for someone who does. So pass this great oral health timeline along by sharing this post with your extended family members, neighbors, friends, and coworkers. They’ll thank you.

healthy-smile-timeline

 

The first age group we want to talk about is 1–20 year olds, which includes both children and teens. To help you prioritize, we’ve divided the information into must-do’s, should-do’s and could-do’s for a healthy smile

 Healthy Smile Must Do’s, Ages 1–20:

    • Establish a dental home for children early, and stick to regular dental checkups. When children are comfortable with their dental team, it sets a pattern for a lifetime of great oral health.
    • Set up an at-home oral hygiene routine. Remember, everyone should brush for 2 minutes, twice a day.  If you set this habit at a young age, you will see the benefits in a healthy mouth.
    • ALL CHILD ATHLETES should wear a mouthguard during sports! Skaters, wrestlers, ballers, etc. That means you!

Healthy Smile Should Do’s, Ages 1–20:

    • Orthodontic evaluations should happen at about age 7 in case there’s a need for early intervention treatment.  Ask Dr. Thompson or Dr. Hoellrich if you notice a specific concern with your child.
    • Dental sealants can provide a shield against tooth decay that will last throughout childhood.
    • Healthy-teeth eating habits start now! That means controlling sugar, soda, and snacking—and, lots of vegetables.  Sugary beverages consumed all day long can cause significant decay quickly.

Healthy Smile Could Do’s, Ages 1–20:

    • For teens, increasingly conscious of their appearance, teeth whitening can be a great boost.  We offer 3 different solutions.  Ask us at your next appointment the pros and cons of each option.
    • Exciting characters, colors, and flavors on toothbrushes and toothpaste can make brushing and flossing more fun for kids.

 

Use These Ideas As A Launchpad…

The musts, shoulds, and coulds above are by no means a comprehensive list of every dental factor to consider between the ages of 1 and 20! But we hope it gives you some good reminders and a starting point for building your own oral health goals.

 

 

Remember to watch for the future posts about each age group! And if you have any follow-up questions, let us know! Send us an email, message us on our Facebook page, or give us a call at 614-486-7378.

Check out a similar blog post:

The sugar in juice can significantly contribute to dental decay

 

Thanks for your trust in our Columbus Dental practice. We appreciate you!

Founded in 1978, Grandview Dental Care is a leading Columbus Ohio dentist offering a wide range of general and cosmetic dental services in the Columbus area including: Invisalign, dental implants, IV sedation dentistry, and veneers Grandview Dental Care is conveniently located at 1220 Grandview Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43212 in Grandview Heights, near Upper Arlington, The Ohio State University campus, and downtown Columbus.  You can give us a call at 614-486-7378.

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