fitting family dental visits into a crazy schedule

5 Things Your Family Dentist Wished You Knew

by Andre Daniels

Maintaining dental health is an important job, but many folks, even ones who've listened closely to the dentist, end up missing a few things they can do better. Here are 5 issues you may be able to address in a better fashion.

Focusing on Prevention

Prevention is everything to a family dentist. Stopping gum disease can prevent tooth decay. Getting fillings might prevent doing a root canal. Even when it comes to doing a root canal, that may prevent losing a tooth. No matter what the progression of the problem might be, dealing with things today virtually guarantees not having to address something worse down the road.

Gum Disease

One of the earliest indicators of issues is gum disease. This can manifest in a variety of ways, but the most commonly noticed one is bleeding from the gums. Before that happens, though, the gums themselves will pull back from the tooth, creating a long appearance that's often referred to as a receding gum line. Healthy gums support everything else in your mouth, and you should take the topic up with your family dentist and hygienist at the first sign of trouble.

Taking Pain Seriously

It's easy to dismiss a small bit of pain, especially if you had just recently eaten something hard, such as a seed. Teeth are built to take a pounding over many years, and anything that causes enough force to trigger pain has to be serious. Even if the solution ends up being as simple as having the dentist pluck a poppy seed from between your tooth and your gums, pain should always be mentioned to your doctor.

No Cavities Doesn't Mean No Problems

In fact, not seeing any cavities doesn't mean there aren't ones developing. The fact that your teeth look outwardly good doesn't presuppose there aren't any issues. Get regular check-ups. If you haven't had your teeth X-rayed in a few years, request one. It's better to get professional confirmation that your teeth are healthy than it is to walk around assuming so.

Family History Isn't Fate

People from families with bad dental histories often feel resigned to what they assume has to be coming. On the flip side, folks from families that don't have dental trouble can make the mistake of assuming they don't need regular check-ups. Regardless of which side of the genetic lottery your oral health landed on, the reality is there's no substitute for maintaining a regular schedule of dentist office visits.

For more information, contact a local dentist.

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