Six Things Every Dentist Wants You To Know Before You Attend Your Appointment
For several individuals, a visit to the dentist is just a routine matter. It’s merely one more item on their self-care agenda, something that is recommended to be done roughly twice a year. However, for some, heading to the dentist can be an extremely nerve-wracking ordeal filled with angst. Meanwhile, there are those who believe they must fake their way through the appointment, putting on an act to persuade the dentist that they maintain excellent dental hygiene, convincing them that no additional procedures are necessary.
However, dental hygiene is not something that we can ignore, fake or forget about. Living with pain or discomfort is simply not necessary. Going to the dentist can also help to restore your confidence and make you feel better about your smile, especially if you have any concerns about crooked or loose teeth.
Many of us have been letting our dental hygiene routine slip over the course of the pandemic, and we have been actively avoiding going out of the house for appointments that aren’t urgent. If you haven’t been to the dentist in a little while, or if you still have some old anxieties about getting in that chair, here are a few things that every dentist wants you to know before you show up for your appointment.
Every Dentist Wants You To Know That There Is No Reason To Be Anxious
No matter how old we are, we can still have those old fears about going to the dentist. It doesn’t matter how many times we’ve been. We can even have coached our children through their own anxieties about it and told them that there is no reason to be scared. The fact remains that those ingrained worries are hard to shake.
But a good dentist will put you at ease right away. They will explain what they are doing, what they are looking for, and what kind of procedure will be required to address any issues that you may have. It is also important to note that you can opt for general anaesthesia if the idea of a local anaesthetic makes you anxious or uncomfortable. If you have any concerns, look for a dentist in your area that prioritises patient comfort and offers plenty of information about the treatments they offer. If you’re looking for a dentist in Brisbane, for example, Pure Dentistry has helpful resources detailing their procedures, and they genuinely care about their patients. Above all, remember that a trip to the dentist is no different from any other routine health check-up. It’s just as important too.
Every Dentist Wants You To Know That You Should Be Seeing Them Regularly
As we mentioned, the general advice is that you should be seeing your dentist for a routine check-up once every six months. However, that frequency may vary depending on the state of your dental health. You must see your dentist regularly enough to have a clear idea of your needs and potential issues in the future.
It is also essential that you make an appointment with your dentist as soon as you notice anything unusual. This can be an issue like tooth pain, a wobbly or broken tooth, or bleeding gums. As with so many things, dental problems do not go away if you ignore them. What may seem like a relatively minor issue could be a warning sign of something bigger or the start of something more serious. The sooner your dentist can see what the problem is, the sooner they can get to work on fixing it. Read this article: why do my gums bleed when I brush my teeth?
Every Dentist Wants You To Know That You Need To Start A Good Routine Before The Day Of The Appointment
We have all been guilty of only remembering to floss the morning before a dentist appointment scheduled months ago. While there’s never a wrong time to remember to floss your teeth, you should have good dental hygiene in place on every other day of the year too.
To start with, you should be brushing your teeth twice a day. Think about the amount of food and drink that you consume over your waking day. Malnutrition affects oral health. Think about how much sugar, residue and other bits and pieces coat your teeth and work their way into those little nooks and crannies. Then think about how much damage they can do if you don’t brush before you go to bed. Bacteria will continue to work away at your teeth overnight, so it is just as crucial for you to brush first thing in the morning as well. Mouthwash is an excellent addition to a perfect dental routine but make sure that you leave some time between brushing and rinsing. Toothpaste contains fluoride, one of the active ingredients in cleaning your teeth. If you rinse too quickly, then you will wash away the fluoride before it has the chance to get to work.
Getting back to the flossing, it’s so important to make this a part of your regular dental hygiene routine because it helps prevent gingivitis and tooth decay, not to mention bad breath. It will also be immediately apparent to your dentist as soon as they look in your mouth whether you have been regularly flossing and brushing or not, so don’t expect to fool them with a bit of last-minute catching up.
Every Dentist Wants You To Know About The Risks Of Acidic Foods
We all know about the impact of sugar, but one of the most important things to remember about your diet is that highly acidic foods and drinks can be incredibly damaging to your teeth. These include many fruits, which are great for your health in so many ways but can eat away your enamel. We’re talking about lemons, oranges, strawberries, and so on. Drinking a glass of water while you’re eating these foods will help lower the risk of erosion, but brushing your teeth afterwards is essential too. Other highly acidic foods and drinks include coffee, tea, products with many tomatoes and pickles.
Every Dentist Wants To Know If There Is Anything You Are Allergic To
Here’s an important one. It would help if you told your dentist about any allergies before they get to work. It is far better that your dentist finds a different kind of anaesthetic to use than to discover that you have an allergic reaction halfway through the procedure. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor.
Your Dentist Wants You To Know How To Brush Properly
Another shorter point here, but it’s something that many of us still struggle with, especially if we have been brushing our teeth in the same way for decades. Focusing on brushing hard and fast is not the way to go. If you brush in a rush, you will miss critical areas where bacteria and plaque can build up. If you brush too forcefully, you run the risk of damaging your gums and making them recede. What you should be aiming for is a 45-degree angle to the gumline and using gentle circular motions. Make sure that you are brushing behind your teeth as well in front.
