The dental industry is central for any child or adult’s health today, and good dental health can result in peace of mind and having a great smile, as well as preventing issues with eating or speech where the teeth are concerned. In fact, dentistry is ranked as among the top 10 most trusted and ethical professions in the United States, and many adult Americans today have their own dentist or find one for their kids, and go in for regular checkups as well as more serious operations like getting a dental implant put in, a root canal, or even getting teeth pulled out if they have a tooth infection. There are plenty of statistics complied to keep track of how often Americans visit the dentist’s office and what kind of work is done there, and Americans of all ages are urged to take good care of their teeth so they will not often nee a dental implant or expensive operations at the dentist’s office.
Dental Operations
Some patients at the dentist’s office will only need a routine inspection or cleaning job, but other times, certain procedures should be done to contain or remove a dental health problem. Getting a dental implant is one option, and it is increasingly common. Up to 15 million Americans have had crown or bridge replacements for missing teeth, and about three million people have already had dental implants done, and this number may increase about 500,000 per year, and any person may need a dental implant at some point in their lives. Tooth extraction may be done either for wisdom teeth, or for teeth that are badly damaged or have tooth decay in them. It is estimated that every year, about 10 million wisdom teeth are extracted from the mouths of five million people every year, and the American Public Health Association believes that wisdom tooth removal costs around $3 billion per year. Other dental procedures may be done, such as metal fillings for cavities (which are fairly common), and replacing the crowns of damaged teeth or having braces or retainers placed to straighten out teeth in the mouth.
General Tooth Care
If no serious medical procedure are needed for the teeth, American adults and children alike should still pursue regular methods of tooth care, most of which are inexpensive and easy, but should still be done every day to protect the teeth. Brushing one’s teeth after every meal is central to preventing a buildup of bacteria and the plaque that they produce, along with removing all sugars and food from the mouth that these bacteria feed on. Toothbrushes should be good quality and their bristles should reach deep into the formations of teeth. What is more, regular flossing allows a person to remove food particles from between teeth where the toothbrush cannot reach, and mouthwash is able to not only remove remaining bacteria but also freshen the breath.
Kids and adults alike are urged to also prevent trauma to the teeth, such as during sports, and mouth guards may be worn to prevent blunt impacts from cracking or knocking out teeth from the mouth. A person should also refrain from chewing on hard items, such as ice cubes or anything else, to avoid cracking the enamel. A child may have sealant put on their teeth in the doctor’s office to further protect the teeth from later issues.
A more cosmetic route to dental health is the use of tooth whitening toothpaste or other products. A good, attractive smile is important for adults and their social prowess, whether at a party or at a job interview or when looking for a promotion. Personal appearance and grooming are central to this, and bad teeth can be a point of embarrassment for many adults. A person can buy and use tooth whitening toothpaste or get a procedure done at a local dentist’s office to whiten the teeth. A person can search “tooth whitening near me” or enter the name of their city or town to find a local dentist who can perform this procedure. A person may also get retainers or other products or operations done to straighten out the teeth, which can also improve a person’s appearance.