Although everyone is expected to play a direct role in preserving the health of their teeth and mouth, establishing a relationship with your dentist will provide you with the perfect teammate for your long-term oral wellbeing.
Develop A Relationship With Your Dentist
Appointments with your dentist doesn’t have to cause you anxiety. On the contrary, openly discussing your concerns and fears, sharing any bad experiences you may have had in the past, and carefully listening to what your dentist has to offer, will help you feel at home from the first visit. Additionally, here is what else you can expect will happen during your first appointment.
Arrive A Few Minutes Early
Give yourself enough time to sign in, and fill out any paperwork that may be required. If you have dental insurance, have your card and ID ready. Giving yourself this time to get settled will be a great step towards eliminating any possible anxiety.
The Routine Visit
Once you get seated comfortably in the dentist’s chair, the dental hygienist will place a plastic or paper cover on your chest to avoid any staining on your clothes. As you look around you, you will see a tray full of dental instruments which the dental hygienist will use, carefully cleaning one tooth at a time. The purpose of this cleaning is to eliminate any buildup of tartar and plaque on the surfaces of your teeth and also along the gum line. Once the cleaning is done and your teeth have been polished, you will be able to rinse your mouth. Find out more information here.
These visits are also a chance for the hygienist to provide you with any information about dental care, and answer all your questions. Queen City residents are reaching out to General Dentistry Services in Charlotte, NC so they can be sure their oral hygiene is in good hands. Since these visits are also a chance for you to bond with your dentist, take the opportunity to ask them anything such as how to properly floss or whether you should use mouthwash.
Preventing Any Problems
When the cleaning is complete, you may get X-rays in order to find any hidden problems or discover those that may just be starting or that are difficult to see.
Your Dentist Will Check Out Your Mouth
At this point, the dentist will step in to perform a complete dental exam. Every tooth and molar will be examined and your dentist may also want to see what gaps there are between teeth and gums if any. Using a periodontal probe, your dentist will be able to detect any problem areas. This same tool will be used to measure the depth of any existing pockets within your gums.
All this information will be recorded in your chart and your dentist will discuss with you what problems were discovered and which ones should be taken care of right away. Incipient issues may wait for a future visit. This is why it is so important to give yourself enough time for this visit, because you may discover that you need to stay a bit longer to address an issue that the X-rays revealed.
Don’t be upset if your dentist discovers any problems with your teeth. They are common and can happen to anyone. Keeping up with your good dental habits is the best thing you can do for your oral health.
Schedule Your Next Visit
It is recommended that before you leave your dentist’s office you schedule your follow-up visit in six months. If other issues need to be fixed, such as fillings to close up cavities or crowns to cover a damaged tooth, you may have to make more than one appointment. Visit Park Crossing Dentistry to get all your dental questions answered.
*collaborative post
