Two Tips for Those Having Their First Dental Examination
Posted on: 26 June 2023
Here are two tips for those who're about to have their first dental examination.
They should share their dental history and concerns with the dentist beforehand
Before the dental examination, the patient should share both their dental history and any concerns they have about their oral health with their dentist. This will ensure the dentist knows which of the person's teeth or areas of their gums may require an extra-thorough evaluation or need to be treated in a more delicate manner.
For example, if the patient tells their dentist that their front teeth have always been very sensitive, the dentist might use a lighter touch when examining these teeth with their hands or dental instruments. This should make this aspect of the dental check-up more comfortable for the patient. Similarly, if the patient tells the dentist they've been experiencing jaw pain, the dentist might then check to see if there are indications that they're grinding their teeth or if their bite is misaligned, as these issues can cause jaw pain.
Additionally, if the patient has had previous dental work done that they have concerns about (for example, if they think a filling they had done years ago might need to be replaced), they should mention this to the dentist. This professional may then do an X-ray of this tooth during the appointment, so they can evaluate the condition of the filling.
They should ask for personalised oral hygiene tips from the dentist afterwards
After the dentist is finished examining their teeth, the patient should ask them for some personalised oral hygiene tips. Whilst it's easy to find general oral health advice online, a dentist who has examined a person's teeth will be able to offer much more helpful advice, that could enable a person to address their individual oral hygiene issues. For example, if the dentist observes that their patient has two overlapping teeth and that the patient has clearly not been able to clean between them with floss or interdental brushes (due to the lack of space between the teeth), this professional might suggest that they invest in a water-pick, which will rinse the area between the teeth and help to keep it free of plaque.
Likewise, if the dentist's examination of the patient's teeth results in them finding a gum pocket, they might not only advise the patient to return to them for a root-planing appointment but might also suggest they use an interdental brush to scrub this pocket area. This could prevent the pocket from growing larger and help the gum to begin healing.
Reach out to a local dentist to learn more about dental examinations.
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