At our dentist office, we have made a commitment to preventative medicine. Over the years we have discovered that the best visits for our patients, and for our team, are ones where you can come in relaxed to have your teeth cleaned, read a magazine, and get tips on oral health. This is opposed to when you come in incredible amounts of discomfort, requiring emergency help. While we definitely do not want to discourage anyone from coming in when they have an emergency, we do want to make sure you understand how effective setting a preventative maintenance routine can be. For the patients that have discovered the secret of a bi-annual checkup visit, they have also discovered how great it is to catch problems before they can become serious, not to mention having sparkling clean teeth throughout the year.
What happens during routine examinations at a dentist office?
After relaxing in the waiting room, we will take you back, and the hygienist will perform a complete cleaning of your teeth. This will remove any plaque that you were unable to get to with your toothbrush, including plaque that is close to the gum line at the top of the teeth. We will also floss between the teeth, so as to remove any debris that may have accumulated there, and will end the cleaning by polishing your teeth. Following this, the dentist will come in and give you a complete inspection. During this portion of the visit, we are looking specifically for soft spots in the teeth, cavities, signs of gum disease, and oral cancer. These screenings help us to catch any problems before they become serious and resolve them, which often prevents people from coming in with the most common dental maladies.
What dental maladies does your dental office see most frequently?
Ironically the most common problem patients come in with are toothaches. In fact, many people are surprised to note that toothaches are the most common reason for people missing school or work, after the common cold. The important thing to know about a toothache is that they very rarely occur for no apparent reason. Typically there is an underlying problem that has been festering for a while, and finally the tooth responds by sending a pain sensation to your brain. Getting in to see us quickly when you have a toothache is very important. A quick response allows us to do two things. First, we can get you on some kind of pain medication, which will relieve your discomfort. Toothaches are some of the most virulent discomforts a person can experience, and so we want to get your relief as soon as possible. Second we can identify what is causing the toothache and go to work treating the problem. Very often, our patients need a cavity treated or a root canal in order to remove the infected area and experience relief. When this is necessary, we offer sedation so that patients can remain comfortable and relaxed during the procedure.
If you haven't been to our dentist office in a while, we recommend that you call and schedule a dental exam so that we can help you to stay in excellent oral health and resolve any challenges that you are facing.
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