You may think a dentist is just someone you see for a cleaning every six months. But, nowadays, picking a new dentist should go beyond that—you and your family should feel comfortable and develop a good relationship with your dentist and their team.
Do your research before selecting a new dentist. Checking with your insurance company to ensure that the dentist is covered under your plan should be a priority. Then use the internet to check their experience and patient reviews. When choosing a new dentist, you should also ask some questions before making that first appointment for you and your family.
What is your philosophy of care?
Every dentist has different opinions about dental issues like preventing anxiety, sedation and pain management, just to name a few. These things are not only important to know for you as an adult but are essential for your kids. Consider also asking questions like, “How does your office handle scared or special needs children?”
How do you assess risk?
Risk assessment is relatively new to dentistry and estimates how susceptible a patient is to dental disease. A dentist can use risk assessment tools to discover your risk of gum disease, tooth decay and oral cancer. Once they’ve completed their evaluation, they can treat you properly, saving you money and invasive procedures down the road.
How old should my child be for their first visit?
Did you know a two-year-old can get cavities? According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), your child’s first visit should be when their first tooth comes through. There could be problems as more teeth appear, and starting the visits early allows the dentist to catch them ahead of time.
How do you personalize each treatment?
In the old days, all patients were treated the same—everyone went to the dentist every six months, no matter their health issues. But now, there are risk assessment tools. So, if you’ve had issues in past years or are prone to dental disease, your dentist could suggest visiting more often during the year. Likewise, if you’re in good health, they could suggest fewer visits.
Should we use mouthwash?
Today, many types of mouthwash have fluoride to fight cavities in addition to retaining a healthy white color and freshening your breath. There are also rinses to help treat problems like inflammation due to chemotherapy, gingivitis and tooth sensitivity. For harsher problems, a dentist can prescribe a mouthwash. These contain chlorhexidine gluconate, which destroys bacteria causing plaque to form, bleeding and inflammation.
What do you do to keep your education up-to-date?
It seems like technology is changing every day, and it’s not any different for your prospective dentist. Each dentist has their own way of keeping up with it all. But mostly, they and their team get education from conferences, additional training, continuing courses, and trade shows.
What is tooth sensitivity?
This is caused by a thinning tooth enamel; it no longer protects the tooth dentin making it susceptible to intense temperature changes. This is why when you eat or drink something cold, hot, acidic or sweet, you’ll be in pain. Tooth sensitivity could be due to:
- Grinding your teeth while sleeping
- Whitening teeth
- Shrinking gums
- Fillings and orthodontics
- A fractured or chipped tooth
The dentist will check out the problematic tooth and suggest treatment.
What do you suggest for preventive measures?
This will depend on what your risk assessment shows. But your dentist can propose preventative measures such as gum treatment applications, hard appliances and retainers, improved toothpaste use, diet suggestions and advanced dental innovations.
Do we really need x-rays?
Your mouth can change over time. X-rays help the dentist view the hidden areas and determine if issues need to be addressed. Your prospective dentist will want to get a full set of x-rays within the first few appointments; after that, it’s every 4-5 years for a full set of x-rays. An x-ray known as a bitewing needs to be done once a year. However, if you or a family member has dental problems, these x-rays may need to be taken more frequently.
Once you have the answers to these questions—and any other questions you think of—you’ll be able to choose the dentist that’s a great fit for what you and your family need.
Dedicated Dental is ready to be your family dentist. Contact us today for more information or to ask more questions and see how we can help. Reach out online or call us at (540) 318-8691