Your oral health is important, no matter your age. Having good oral hygiene, teamed with regular dental examinations, will help prevent most dental problems. Are you not sure what going to the dentist entails? Vision Dental answers 6 popular questions people have about visiting the dentist.
1. Why is it important to visit the dentist regularly?
Regular dental visits are important because it means dental health problems can be spotted early on; therefore, treatment is probably going to be more simple and affordable. Some dental issues might be prevented from occurring in the first place. Also, some diseases or medical conditions have symptoms that may appear in your mouth, which is another reason why not skipping dental visits is important for your overall health.
2. What are some signs that indicate a visit to the dentist is needed?
- You have tooth sensitivity to hot or cold food and drinks
- Your gums are puffy and/or you spit blood when brushing or flossing
- You have tooth fillings, dental implants, crowns, bridges, dentures and the like
- You are pregnant
- You experience pain or swelling in your mouth, neck or face
- It is difficult to chew or swallow
- You consistently have a bad taste in your mouth or suffer from bad breath
- There is a history of gum disease or tooth decay in your family
- It is sometimes painful to open and close your jaw, to chew or when you wake up in the morning
- Your bite is uneven
- You often experience an uncomfortably dry mouth
- You have a sore or a spot that doesn’t look or feel right in your mouth and it won’t go away
- You have a medical condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, eating disorders, or are HIV positive
- You are a smoker or use other tobacco products
3. Do I still need to see a dentist if I don’t have any symptoms?
Yes, it is important to make regular appointments with your dentist for check-ups as you may still have dental health problems even if you don’t outwardly show symptoms.
Potential problems may be avoided altogether by having your dentist frequently check your oral health. In turn, keeping your mouth free from oral diseases is an important part of keeping your overall health intact. Along the same line, it is important to let your dentist know if your general health changes because some medical conditions and have an impact on your dental health, too.
4. How often should I visit the dentist?
There is no hard and fast rule about how frequently you should schedule your appointments as some people require more dental upkeep than others; but in general, we here at Vision Dental recommend a visit every 6 months.
5. What will happen during a dental check-up?
Typically, your dentist or dental hygienist will ask you about your recent medical history. You will also undergo a complete oral examination, which includes the dentist visually assessing your teeth and gums, bone levels, joints and muscles, and soft tissue. As part of this process, an oral cancer screening will take place. This assessment of your current dental health may also require radiographs (digital images) to be taken so that any underlying problems that are not clear from the visual examination can be diagnosed.
6. How do I choose the right dentist?
It is important to make sure you feel comfortable with your choice of dentist as dental care is a very personalised service. Apart from speaking to the prospective dentist to get a feel for their personality and how they would like to structure your oral care, there are some other things to consider:
- Is the appointment schedule suitable or convenient for you?
- Is the dental practice easy to get to from where you live or work?
- Does the practice appear to be clean and kept in a neat and orderly state?
- Were the details of your medical and dental history recorded kept in a secure file?
- Have you received appropriate techniques and instructions, where required, for prevention of dental health problems?
- Is there proper explanation and information provided about fees and payment plans, if applicable, before treatments are scheduled?
- Are special arrangements made for dealing with dental emergencies that may occur outside of practice hours? Is there an emergency referral service?
Get the ball rolling
There’s no time like the present to kickstart your journey to optimum dental health! We here at Vision Dental, Menai, are committed to your overall well-being and are available to answer any questions you might have. If you are good to go, schedule your next dental check-up with our Principal Dentist, Dr Stephen Suster, without delay.
Call our friendly and professional Vision Dental team today on 02 9543 4222 or click through to the enquiry form.