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 How often do
I need to visit the dentist?
How often you go for a check-up depends on your oral health needs.
The goal is to catch small problems early. You can be sure that in
our office, your treatment plan is customized for you’re your
dental needs and aims to keep you free of disease and problems. For
many people who carry a high cavity or gum-disease risk, check-ups
and hygiene continuing care appointments could occur every four to
six months. The effectiveness of our oral hygiene instruction is
checked against what is visible in your mouth. Less frequent visits
will be assumed as a function of improved home-care, and
treatment-plan objectives being met (fillings being completed etc).
Ask yourself the following questions:
• What did I learn and am now applying after my last care
appointment?
• Do I floss every day?
• Do I brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and follow my
dentist's instructions on how to brush properly?
• Do I eat a well-balanced diet, including food from all food
groups, and limit sweets and sticky foods?
• Do I smoke?
• Do I have a history of cavities or gum disease?
• Is my overall health good?
The answers to these questions are all factors that affect your
oral health. They will help you and your dentist decide how often
you need to visit for check-ups. It's worth noting that you should
not determine your need for dental care on what your dental plan
covers.
Do I need x-rays at each visit?
Our office is committed to reducing exposure to xrays and has
invested heavily in state of the art materials and methods which
allow this. Our xray protocols are customized to patient’s needs
alone. How often you need to have x-rays depends on your oral
health. A healthy adult who has not had cavities or other problems
for a couple of years probably won't need x-rays at every
appointment. If your dental situation is less stable and your
dentist is monitoring your progress, you may require more frequent
x-rays. It may mean the difference between needing root canal
therapy or not.
If you are not sure why a particular x-ray is being taken, ask your
dentist. Remember that dental x-rays deliver very little radiation;
they are a vital tool for your dentist to ensure that small
problems don't develop into bigger ones.
When should I take my child to the dentist for the first
time?
It's important to get an early start on dental care, so that
your child will learn that visiting the dentist is a regular part
of health care. The first step is to choose a dentist for your
child.
The Canadian Dental Association encourages the assessment of
infants, by a dentist, within 6 months of the eruption of the first
tooth or by one year of age. This serves to screen for obvious
problems and to assess the home-care environment for oral health
risk factors.
It's important to make the first visit a positive experience for
your child - one reason why it's best to visit before a problem
develops. If you think there is a problem, however, take your child
to the dentist right away, no matter what age.
If you are a nervous dental patient, ask your spouse or another
family member to take the child for the appointment. If your child
senses that you are nervous, he or she may feel nervous too. When
you talk to your child about going to the dentist, explain what
will happen without adding things like "it won't hurt" or "don't be
scared."
It may be necessary to request that the parent leave the treatment
room in order for better behavior from the child. Please respect
our attempt to deliver the necessary dental care with the least
amount of difficulty.
Be sure to get an early start on regular dental care at home. Start
cleaning your child's mouth with a soft damp cloth before teeth
come in and continue with a soft toothbrush once he or she has a
first tooth. Limit the number of sugary treats you give your child,
and focus on healthy food choices from the very beginning.
My dentist is recommending treatment (I know nothing about).
What should I do?
Ask questions. It sounds simple enough, but sometimes we feel
embarrassed to ask simple questions. There is no need to feel that
way.
You will feel much better, and be able to make a better decision,
if you understand the dental procedure that is recommended to you.
If you don't say anything, your dentist may think that you already
understand.
Here are some tips when asking questions. Ask:
• If you can see any pictures of the procedure or what it looks
like when it is done;
• How much it will cost;
• How long it will take;
• If it will need to be redone in the future;
• If there are alternatives to the procedure and if so, what are
the pros and cons of each option.
The final decision about how and when to proceed with any treatment
is yours. To help you understand what is involved in the treatment,
your dentist may give you some printed material to read.
If you have already left the dental office without asking
questions, call back later. Be careful about getting information
from unknown sources, including sources on the Internet. Some of
this information may not be reliable. |
