Getting the Most for Your Dollar at the Dentist's Office

How to Maximize Your Visit to Your Dentist?

Getting the Most for Your Dollar at the Dentist’s Office

Getting the Most for Your Dollar at the Dentist's Office

Going to a dentist’s office is not something that people do very often. Since that probably includes you, it is important to ensure that you are going to make your dentist appointment as productive as possible. You want to be prepared before you go to get the most out of it. 

 

Write Down Your Questions and Needs

You are the one who is most aware of what has been going on with your teeth and gums. The dentist will be limited to what can actually be seen at the time of your dental visit – unless you remember to reveal other things or ask questions. 

The best way to remember your questions or problems is to write them down in advance of your visit to the dentist. Some things that you may want to include are if you have a tooth that has become sensitive to temperature or when you bite on it. 

Another thing that you will especially want to mention to your dentist is if you have any sores in your mouth that do not seem to go away. A sore that does not heal could be an indication of oral cancer. Dentists are trained to be able to identify it, and getting early treatment for it is very important.

If your gums have been bleeding when you brush your teeth or floss it should also be mentioned. This is an indication of early gum disease, and the dentist can advise you on how to treat it before it becomes worse. Other symptoms of gum disease include swollen gums, bad breath, pus appearing between your teeth and gums, loose teeth, and spaces appearing between your teeth. 

If you have been experiencing dry mouth recently, this should also be mentioned to the dentist. This is a problem the dentist is concerned about because it means that the amount of bad bacteria that harms your teeth has increased. It can be caused by various diseases and medications. When this occurs, the bacteria start producing an acid that slowly destroys the enamel on your teeth. Having a healthy amount of saliva helps keep the bad bacteria under control, and also helps to repair your teeth. 

 

Understand What Services the Dentist Provides

Most likely, you already understand some of the dental services you may need. Prior to making an appointment, make a list of things you want a dentist in your area to offer. Once your list is complete, call the dental office and ask your questions. 

Among the things you want to ask, there are some things you need to ask for sure. The topics you want to learn about include:

  • Do they accept your dental insurance?
  • If you do not have dental insurance, do they offer a flexible payment plan?
  • Do they handle emergency dental situations?
  • Do they provide dental services for children? Orthodontics – which options?
  • Can the dentist remove fillings made of mercury?
  • Do they offer tips for better oral health care?
  • If desired, do they offer sleep sedation dentistry?
  • What materials are available for fillings?
  • Do they offer cosmetic dentistry services?

Another thing that you may want to ask about is if the dentist office offers any of new high-tech forms of dentistry. This could include using a laser to detect cavities or drill them out, using ozone for sterilization, and thinner veneers that make removing tooth enamel unnecessary. 

 

Create a List of All Medications and Supplements You Are Taking Now

The dentist will need to know what medications and supplements you are taking at the time of your dental appointment. This is important because it can affect your treatment. If you are taking a blood thinner, for example, the dentist needs to know it because a dental procedure may involve excessive bleeding in that case.

 

Ask About Your Dental Cleaning Methods

When looking into your mouth, a dentist can quickly spot how well you are – or are not – cleaning your teeth. By asking the dentist to let you know what you can do to improve your teeth cleaning methods, you can help cut down on your overall annual dental costs.

 

Get a Referral

One of the best ways to choose a dentist is to get a referral from a friend, co-worker, or relative. You want to find one that offers the services you need, but is also friendly and answers your questions. A referral is especially good when you need to get the same type of dental services as the person who referred you. 

Our MyChampion Dental expert dentist team will gladly help you get the most out of your routine dental visit. For more information, or to set up an appointment, you can call our office today at (214) 747-0763.

Dental Health for Young Adults

Why young adults need ongoing dental care

People of every age have certain dental needs and each group requires some unique dental care. The nature of the oral cavity changes over the years. For young adults between the ages of 19 to 24, who has just left home to live on their own, or are in a college dorm or military barracks, you should know that if your teeth are going to stay healthy, you need to be aware of those changes and the dental care needed to meet them. 

 

Dental care for young adults

Developing Good Oral Hygiene Habits

Failing to take care of your teeth properly can ruin your smile quickly. Not only will it lead to cavities, but it will also lead to gum disease – which can be costly to repair. A lack of good oral hygiene is the main cause of the development of gum disease. You can help prevent dental problems by developing a habit of brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time and flossing – preferably before you go to sleep.

After you eat sweets or anything with sugar or acid in it, you should rinse your mouth out with water afterward. Avoid brushing your teeth after consuming these foods for at least 20 minutes because the acid softens your enamel and brushing them too soon can cause tiny pieces of enamel to break off. 

Cavities

Cavities are caused by the acid that is naturally found in your mouth. While still small, getting a cavity filled is a simple task – and inexpensive. If not treated, it will lead to a sensitive tooth, and then it may require a dental crown or you may need a tooth extraction. If it is extracted, it will require a dental implant and a dental crown, or a dental bridge, replace it – very expensive. 

You have several choices of materials when you get dental fillings. White fillings are very popular today because they help your teeth to look healthy and no one will know you needed one. They will last between five to seven years. Amalgam fillings are cheaper but they will last a long time.

Wisdom Teeth

You can expect your wisdom teeth to come in between the ages of 17 and 25. They may or may not be a problem, but having a dentist check your wisdom teeth and their position is a good idea. An x-ray will need to be taken and the dentist will be able to tell if they can be left alone or if one or more should be removed. Wisdom teeth can come in sideways, be impacted (buried in bone), and cause other problems such as developing an infection or gum disease. It is best, and safer, to have a wisdom tooth extraction before age 25 because it becomes more complicated as you get older.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is a problem that starts small but can quickly become a very big and expensive dental problem. The first symptoms of gum disease are gums that are inflamed and bleed when you brush or floss them. With regular daily brushing and flossing, you can eliminate it at this stage. 

If your oral hygiene does not improve, it will become periodontitis – a much more serious problem. Gum disease is caused by bacteria in your mouth that get out of control. It gets into your gums through the tartar (hardened plaque) on your teeth. The acid irritates the gums and starts an immune reaction that will not stop until treated by a dentist. 

The symptoms of periodontitis include receding gums, spaces developing between your teeth, pus at the gum line, pain when you bite, loose teeth, and your teeth may even fall out. These symptoms occur because your immune system attacks your gums, the support structures for your teeth, and the jawbone. 

Eating for Healthy Teeth

It can be easy to live off of fast food between these ages. If you are in college, you naturally want something easy to fix or obtain because time is always an issue. The problem with this is that your teeth need healthy foods to be able to fight off gum disease and cavities. 

Several types of food will ruin your teeth quickly. If you eat a lot of foods that are high in sugar, it will promote the growth of the bacteria in your mouth that cause cavities and gum disease. Since the bacteria feed on sugar, drinking sodas and specialized coffees all day will quickly make the matter worse. 

In addition to sugar, sodas and fruit juices also contain acid. Along with the acid from the bacteria, it will erode the enamel faster and cause cavities sooner. The acid also demineralizes some of the minerals out of the enamel. Eating a healthy diet helps to remineralize your teeth with the needed minerals and keeps them strong. If you have spots on your teeth that are chalky white, your teeth are demineralizing faster than they are remineralizing. which means tooth decay has started. 

Smoking

Lighting up that cigarette is going to do more than stain your teeth. Nicotine also reduces the flow of blood in your gums, which also reduces the effectiveness of your gum’s immune system to fight off gum disease and oral cancer. Many people who smoke or use tobacco products have gum disease and they have it worse than people who do not smoke.

Smoking and Teeth

Alcohol

Alcohol will also hurt your teeth. Red wine will stain them, and alcohol, in general, will dry out your mouth. Your saliva will normally help to reduce the acid and bacteria on your teeth, but a dry mouth enables more bacteria and acid to develop above normal levels in your mouth.

Women’s Issues

When young women are going through their period or are pregnant, there are changes taking place in the hormone levels that will affect their teeth and gums. You may develop gum disease during these occasions and dental visits are recommended (especially when pregnant) to keep it under control. 

dental surgeon for young adults