general dentistry

When people say “I’m going to the dentist today” they usually say so with a grimace. But what does going to the dentist actually entail? Is it painful, is it miserable? Why don’t people like it more? Well, the honest answer, is that if you are visiting a general dentist, and going regularly, then the dentist will rarely be painful and it can be an extremely simple process.

What do general dentists do?

General dentists are somewhat equivalent to your family practice doctors. These highly educated individuals are trained to diagnose, treat, and prevent most issues within the teeth, gums, and mouth. Some examples of what general dentists can do are: cleanings and annual exams, fillings, sealants, crowns, root canals, veneers, bridges, and treating gingivitis and other oral illnesses. If, for some reason, your care requires treatment beyond their scope, a good general dentist will refer you to a specialist to get you the care that you need.

What is a typical appointment like?

Usually, when you make an appointment with a dentist, it is for an exam. General dentists prefer that you make these appointment every 6 months in order to have the best results. At this exams, you can expect:

1. X-rays – these are used to check the health of the teeth, roots, and jawbones.
2. Cleaning – this is typically done by a dental hygienist and is an essential part of overall oral health. More on this later.
3. Exam – your dentist will check your bite, your teeth for signs of wear and tear or decay, and ensure that your mouth is in tip-top condition.
4. Fluoride – some dentists will provide you the opportunity for fluoride at the end of your visits, this is done to help strengthen the enamel (the white outside) of your teeth to prevent decay and wear and tear.

None of these procedures should be painful, there is always a chance of some minor sensitivities causing brief discomfort, but a good practitioner will help you with that as well.

What is a dental cleaning like?

At every 6 month appointment, you can expect a dental cleaning from your dental office in Ohio. The hygienist, usually, will begin this process by scaling – which means removing the tartar and plaque from your teeth. This helps prevent cavities and other dental decay. They will then use a gritty toothpaste like substance called polishing paste. This is applied with a rubber-tipped instrument and feels similar to brushing your teeth with an electric toothbrush. This grit is rinsed out of your mouth and then your hygienist will floss your teeth. That’s it!

What are the benefits of having regular appointments?

Having consistent, and frequent dental visits are the best way to prevent serious dental and oral issues. By going to each of your appointments, your dentist will be able to catch small wear and tear issues, or early onset of decay. When this is done, the interventions required to treat these issues are minor (which means less pain, and less recovery time.)

Dentists are also among the first to notice the onset of some serious conditions like: diabetes, some cancers, and even signs of osteoporosis. Visiting your dentist regularly allows your dentist to be familiar with you and notice changes that could indicate serious issues more easily.

How can you prepare for a visit?

Preparing for a dental visit is very simple!

1. Call and make the appointment
2. Confirm your appointment
3. Brush and floss your teeth prior to your appointment – this is not essential, but much appreciated.
4. Bring appropriate ID and insurance cards if applicable.

Attending the dentist regularly is the best way to prevent serious dental issues, it keeps you in less pain and prevents future dental issues, and it can even help you catch the early onset of some serious diseases. You really can’t afford to miss out on these benefits.

A dental crown is a crown just as the name goes. It is a form of a cap that is fixed on top of teeth in order to cover, protect and enhance its appearance. When one has a dental crown they are sure that their teeth is protected from unnecessary stress as a result of chewing and biting of food.

Their appearance is also enhanced since their smile is restored. When they a used, the weak tooth is strengthened and the vulnerable one is also protected. They can be used to protect a broken tooth from further damage. The crown can be put as a temporary solution as the dentist is working on a more permanent solution.

They can also be used as a permanent fixture for long term. It all depends on the person who needs them. One thing that should be noted though is that their cost is very high as compared to the other forms of dental protective additions.

Cleaning the dental crowns require special attention since they are a foreign particle in the body. One cannot afford to assume that the cleaning process will be the same as when they did not have the crowns on their teeth.

Learn to brush teeth gently

It usually recommended that one brushes their teeth gently but most people come from the school of thought that they do not need to be gentle with the teeth, since they are hard. So they have always ended up using toothbrushes with tough bristles in order to clean their teeth. When one has a Nampa ID dental crown, they have no choice but to be very gentle in handling them. They cannot afford to use the stiff toothbrushes as this will scratch on the crowns and may lead to the early wearing and tearing. One should aim at using the soft brushes that are recommended by their dentist, like Meadowbrook Family Dental. This also helps to avoid bruising the gums. The more gentle one is during brushing, the more likely they are to last longer.

Floss just as regularly as before the dental crowns

It sounds strange but one should continue flossing even when they have the dental crowns. This is because, it assists to remove any food particles in between the teeth that may get in contact with the crown and cause dental issues. However care should be taken to ensure that the pressure is directed away from the crown.

Foods to avoid

When a person has dental crowns, they should try and avoid foods that are sticky like chocolate candies and chewing gums since they may end up affecting their stability on the teeth.

Sedation dentistry is the process of using sedatives in order to make dental procedures manageable. When one is supposed to visit the dentist, fear may easily crop in when they think of the painful procedures that lie ahead of them. This may lead to fear and the person may even skive the visit. But they should be made aware that there is a solution to this and it is the sedation dentistry.

How to administer sedation dentistry

Sedation dentistry is not new in the oral health industry. It has only been improved with the times. In the former days, the sedatives would be given to the patient through the blood. This would entail injecting the sedative in the blood vessels on the arm. The doctor has the skill of finding the appropriate blood vessel and then administering the sedative for instant action. The fear of the needles and syringe would cause anxiety to the patient.

Today, with the technological advancements one can take the sedatives through oral administrations. When will just take them through the mouth in a simple yet comfortable manner. Another way of taking the oral sedatives is when the anxiety levels have been known, the dentist is in a better position to know which sedative to give. These oral medications have led to interesting Olympia Washington dental practice visits unlike the days of the pain of the needles. Some of the medications include anti-anxiety medications, nitric oxide and tranquilizers.

What are the benefits of sedation dentistry?

The following are the benefits of sedation dentistry.

1. The anxiety of visiting the dentist are greatly reduced. Instead of dreading the pain that comes with the dental procedures, one does not fear and instead looks forward even for routine checks.
2. Sedation industry allows a patient to go through the long dental procedures with minimal or no pain at all during the process. The patient is likely to endure the long procedures without feeling the pain and discomfort.
3. Another advantage of sedative dentistry is that one is able to regain confidence in their dentist and can speak more about any condition that they would want him to deal with without any fear of pain.
4. Sedation dentistry leads to improved oral health since the appointments to the dentist are not missed easily. Therefore one’s oral health keeps being checked by a professional. In the days of pain and anxiety, one would rather miss the dentist visitation than expose themselves to pain on top of tooth decays and other forms of pain.

1. Minimal sedation – The patient remains conscious and can respond to the surroundings.
2. Moderate sedation- The person is more relaxed and can respond to only strong stimulations.
3. Deep sedation- The person is unconscious and does not remember anything. He is in a sleeping mode.