FOR OUR GREAT, GREAT GRANDPARENTS, the chance was SO slim that they could keep their natural teeth over their entire lifetimes. But today, wonderful technologies and advanced materials, coupled with the artistic vision and the extensive training of Dr. Brei, means there’s a greatly increased likelihood that YOU will keep YOUR smile for life! Sometimes, when we are visiting with you, our valued patients, we sense that making decisions about treatments isn’t very simple. To help better think about decision making for dental services, we’ve designed a simple little framework below. It’s our hope that this will help bring additional clarity to your decision making. And of course, WE KNOW that decisions are always YOURS to make. We just want to be sure you have good information.
We’ve divided “The Lifetime of Your Smile” into four phases:
- 1–20 Year Old Smiles
- 20–40 Year Old Smiles
- 40–65 Year Old Smiles
- 65+ Year Old Smiles
In addition to finding YOUR smile’s current phase, you likely have family members and loved ones in the other phases as well. We invite you to share the information!
Must do’s. Should do’s. Could do’s.
Every day we prioritize our decision making in all aspects of our lives using “must do’s,” “should do’s,” and “could do’s.” It’s our goal is to make sure you’re comfortable with your oral health decisions and that you see the difference between the “musts,” the “shoulds,” and the “coulds.” Of course, there are no right or wrong answers to what you must, should, or could be doing about your oral health and appearance. Think of these posts as a starting point! _______________________________________________________
Today’s Post Is About 1–20 Year Old Smiles
A LIFETIME OF SOUND ORAL HEALTH BEGINS in children with early preventative care and education. Among the best ways to ensure this is to help your child develop a great relationship with Dr. Brei. There are basic, obvious lessons to be learned about tooth care. But, don’t forget that children and teens are becoming increasingly aware and sensitive about their appearance (just like we did when we were that age!). The condition of their smile can have a tremendous impact on their developing self image. 
Must do.
- Regular check ups should begin before a child’s third birthday.
- Dentists are often the first to see signs of Bulimia.
- Sometimes a dentist’s counsel goes farther than parents’ when it comes to subjects like soda pop consumption or tongue piercing.
Should do.
- Extensive orthodontics are sometimes prevented by an alert dentist like Dr. Brei, e.g. space retainers maintain important space in early tooth loss.
- Sealants are a liquid plastic applied to chewing surfaces to prevent decay—especially for those hard-to-reach places that children neglect.
- Understanding the causes of bad breath ensures lifelong prevention and avoids embarrassment.
Could do.
- Your teen’s smile is so important to his or her self image. Even subtle smile enhancements can make a world of difference.
- Whitening is a safe, affordable boost to socially-conscious teens.
- Studies show that athletes who wear custom mouth guards have 60% fewer injuries to their teeth, lips and gums.
Here at our practice, our entire team wants to be your oral health partners for life! Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, if you haven’t already!
