We know most families want a good dentist who can treat the whole family. Family dentistry is one way many dentists help families juggle busy schedules by setting appointments for all members of a family on the same day. With family dentistry, you can reduce hours missed from work and school by having appointments scheduled at the same time or close to the same time. This can add up to a lot of saved time when you consider that most dentists recommend you have regular dental visits from the time of your first tooth and then every six months from then on out. That would add up to a lot if you had to take time for each individual visit for each family member separately.
Not only is it convenient for you to choose family dentistry, there are other advantages to having a trip to the dentist be a family event: Some major oral health issues are genetic and using family dentistry for your dental care can provide you with the added benefit of helping your dentist gain familiarity with traits or concerns common to your family.
Some conditions which a family can have a genetic predisposition to which your family dentist can watch for include:
- Periodontal/Gum Disease – sensitive inflamed gums that lead to other tooth and bone issues.
- Tendency for Tooth Decay – a genetic variation controls how easily your teeth can decay.
- Need for Braces – if your teeth were improperly aligned, there is a good chance your kids will have misaligned teeth, too.
- Cleft lip/Cleft Palate – a common birth defect from the mouth fusing together incorrectly before birth.