On July 3rd, 1806, two years into their journey to chart the unchartered West of America, pioneer explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark reached a challenge of epic proportion – the Rocky Mountains. What next, they wondered? Without a map, they were forced to do what explorers do – explore, and hope for the best. So, that got us thinking. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a handy map you could use to chart your own dental health? With that in mind, and in honor of our “Dog Days of Summer” explorers, here are a few mile markers you can use to stay on top of your health today, next year, and for years to come!
18-25 years old
This is a time where work, college, and sometimes marriage start to get in the way of our parental-guided dental care regimens. It’s also a time when even as college students, we tend to find money for the things we “want” instead of the things we “need.” Given that we’re generally healthy at this time in our lives, there isn’t too much we have to worry about when we visit the dentist. Yet here are a few conversations you might want to have with the doctor when you come in for your periodic cleaning:
26-39 years old
These are the years where decades of wear-and-tear start to catch up with you. They’re also bridge years for having kids, and you’ll feel as though life is pulling you in a million directions. Ignoring the dentist during this timeframe is risky. Here’s how you can stay ahead of the game:
40-65 years old
With maintenance and repair top of mind, you’ll want to start to educate yourself on the sort of procedures that will help you keep your healthy teeth, and strengthen or replace those that are weak. Consider:
65+ years old
At this age, you’ll need to consider a multi-disciplined approach to your dental care. Aside from aging teeth, you may also have other health concerns that disrupt your typically healthy mouth. Some things to consider are:
Staying on top of your oral health isn’t as hard as you think, and if you keep this schedule of events to watch out for handy, you’ll be ahead of most of your neighbors when it comes to a healthy mouth and body. Come to think of it … why not share it with them as well? They’ll thank you for the help!