Dental visits are recommended twice a year and most people do not know what to expect on such visits. As a result, a lot of anxiety and fear surrounds the subject of scheduling dental appointments. Routine dental visits have a myriad of benefits and discovering these benefits will help dispel any fear you may have about seeing a dentist.
Benefits of Regular Dental Visits
Dental Visits are important for early detection of dental disease. Dental treatments are often perceived to be expensive but expenses climb higher the longer you wait. Also, Dental treatments are less complex if tackled as soon as possible. Professional teeth cleaning (scaling and polishing) is advisable every 6 months to prevent gum disease. In addition, other medical conditions can first be detected during a dental visit following a complete physical and oral examination as some conditions have oral manifestations such as Diabetes.
What to Expect on a Dental Visit
The Dental Office is made up of a dental team that consists of a dentist, dental Assistants/nurses, a dental hygienist and the front desk officer/receptionist. The first thing to expect is registration or a form of documentation for record keeping purposes. Your personal and family records are important to keep track of your medical and dental history for future references. Children should have a guardian present to provide this information as well as serve as a safe place.
You will be seen by a dentist who will ask specific questions about a presenting complaint or the purpose of your visit. This session may include sensitive questions including your sexual history, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. The dentist’s knowledge of your dietary and oral hygiene practices will also guide any counseling sessions. Make sure not to keep any information from your dentist as such information may have an impact on your health status and the treatment plan. Medical conditions, previous hospital attendance, surgical procedures and medications are also important information to let your dentist know. Important information about your kids may include immunization history as well as peri-birth circumstances and developmental milestones. This information is important to detect health conditions that may affect treatment planning, lifestyle practices that may influence your health status and the modifications that are necessary.
And then….
A thorough physical examination is carried out to rule out any signs that may be pointers of systemic disease. An oral examination is then done to check the state of all intraoral structures including your gums, lips, tongue, roof of the mouth, floor of the mouth and each individual teeth. A general overview of the entire mouth is done and attention is paid to any areas of abnormality. Further investigations like an x-ray or blood test may be requested based on the findings from the history and examination.
Finally….
The dentist draws up a treatment plan based on history obtained, physical examination, oral examination and investigation results. Your consent is obtained before any procedures can be carried out on you. Procedures like scaling and polishing, routine extractions, fillings can be completed in a day. More complex procedures like root canal therapies, usually require more than one appointment.
There is no need to be anxious about a dental visit because you will be guided by the dental team every step of the way. Ask questions in areas that seem unclear. All dental procedures are painless when properly done and there is no cause for alarm. Regular dental visits are beneficial to the maintenance of good oral and general health. Make that appointment today!
Photo credits: Kings College London