Orthodontics Airdrie
Adult Dental Care Services

As we get older, it becomes increasingly important to be in good health. Age increases our risk for dental issues that we did not have to deal with as teenagers. At Bayside Dental & Orthodontics, we provide ongoing, comprehensive adult treatment services in Airdrie Alberta to ensure that you stay on top of your dental and overall health.

As an adult, regular brushing and flossing does not completely eliminate the risk for certain oral health problems. Fortunately, we provide dental help for adults so you can meet most, if not all, of these challenges successfully.

Some of the conditions that we’ll be checking for during routine dental visits include:

1. Periodontal disease

When you reach the age of 35 years, your risk for periodontal disease surpasses that for tooth decay. So if you continue to skip professional dental cleanings, plaque, bacteria, and tartar can accumulate on your teeth, resulting in severe damage to the jawbone and hard tissue. Ultimately, your teeth will begin to loosen, resulting in tooth loss or expensive periodontal surgery to salvage the situation.

2. Oral Cancer

Research shows that the risk for oral cancer increases dramatically when you reach 40 years, especially for men. Chewing and smoking tobacco increases the risk of these cancers, which include cancer of the tongue, mouth, and throat area. Fortunately, we can easily spot the early signs of oral cancer during a routine dental checkup.

3. Wearing down of dental restorations

Many tooth restorations, such as dental fillings, last between 8 and 10 years, though they can last for decades with proper care. When the restorations in your mouth begin to wear, food particles and bacteria can hide underneath them, allowing for decay to develop deep in your tooth, necessitating endodontic treatment. If we notice signs of wear in your fillings, we can recommend a full crown, root canal treatment, or root canal retreatment to restore the tooth.

4. Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD)

Issues such as bite misalignment, grinding, and clenching can lead to painful TMD. Jaw problems usually arise due to missing teeth or gaps that create room for the remaining teeth to shift, changing your bite as well. If you have missing teeth, we recommend dental implants to preserve the bone tissue underneath the site. Bruxism, on the other hand, can be easily fixed by wearing a night guard to take the pressure off the jaw.

5. Women-specific conditions

Women are prone to certain health conditions during different phases of their lives, owing to changes in hormone levels during their monthly periods, pregnancy, and menopause. Important times to take extra care of your teeth include:

• Menstruation – associated with swelling gums, cold sores, and canker sores in some women
• Oral contraceptives – known side effects include inflammation of the gums and gingivitis
• Pregnancy – associated with increased risk of pregnancy gingivitis
• Menopause – associated with dry mouth, inflamed gums, altered taste, and oral pain and discomfort
• Osteoporosis – associated with the loss of jaw bone, resulting in tooth loss

No person is immune to dental problems, and even as an adult, you must maintain a good home dental-care routine, and schedule regular professional cleanings and dental checkups. We are happy to offer dental help for adults, and closely monitor your dental health for early treatment of problems before they worsen.