Smile with Confidence: A Comprehensive Guide to Dental Health and Care

Questions to Ask a Dentist

Fear of the dentist is a common thing in the US. In fact, a study was done and it showed that nearly 50% of people in the US don’t even visit a dentist on a consistent basis. It’s a little unnerving if you think about it because having things like gingivitis and cavities can lead to more than just mouth problems – it can also lead to health problems. Not only can not going to the dentist lead to bloody sensitive gums and losing your teeth, but it can also lead to bad breath and blood diseases. If you do go to a doctor consistently, or you are just making an appointment to go to get checked out and it’s been awhile, there are questions you should ask your dentist. Make sure you find a Top Dentist that you can have good communication with and have an open dialog with about your teeth, gums and your overall dental health. Dentists are doctors after all; they have the ability to tell you exactly what’s wrong, how it can be fixed, if it can be fixed and what preventions you can take. Here are a few questions you should be asking your dentist!

Improvements Needed – Client Based

Talk to your dentist and ask them what improvements you can make. Obviously everyone’s mouths are different; teeth are different, acid in the mouth is different, age differences, oral issues like crooked tooth or overbites can be present, etc. Your dentist should not have a cookie cutter answer. He or she should have an answer just about your teeth and your situation. Ask about flossing and if you are flossing too much or too little. If you don’t floss, but you want to start, and have no idea how to do so properly, ask the dentist if they can show you how. Ask about your toothbrush, tell them what brand and type you use and ask them if you should be brushing more or less or if you should switch from hard to soft or soft to medium, etc. You should also ask them about any new products you’ve seen and are curious about. They’re your dentist and a professional; they probably know what products are good and which ones you should stay away from!

Improvements Needed – Doctor Based

Beyond just your part in your teeth, your dentist has his or her own part. He or she should be able to give you a treatment plan as to what you need, when you need it, why you need it and approximately how much it will cost. Chances are if you grind your teeth, they will talk to you about mouth guards. If you have bad breath, they may talk to you about a better type of mouthwash or a more effective mouth, tooth or tongue cleaner. If you have a lot of cavities, your plaque is gone off your teeth and you have a serious medical issue like esophagitis, the dentist will probably try to talk about saving your teeth, but in dire situations, he may also want to talk about prosthetics such as dentures or implants. A dentist is a dentist for a reason – because they want to help you as much as they can to give you healthy pain free teeth, healthy gums and a beautiful smile.

Dental Health Status

If you know the status of your teeth, you can probably get a better hand on how to improve on it. If you have a Top Dentist, they should be able to give you a general exam for your mouth. This includes teeth, roof of mouth, gums, tongue, under the tongue, etc. They will not only be looking for cavities and bleeding gums or gingivitis, they also might look for more serous conditions such as bone density or lack thereof, lumps and bumps that shouldn’t be there, signs of osteoporosis, grinding of teeth, crooked teeth, over and under bites and more. They will also make sure everything in your mouth is working the way it should be working.

Family Doctor or Specialized Doctors

If you have a family doctor, general doctor or if you have had any recent news about your health, you should tell your dentist. Make sure you talk about STDs, any medications you are taking, any oral diseases or issues you are having such as GERD or esophagitis, TMJ, heart burn, acid reflux, etc. These things can and most likely will change your treatment plan or perhaps the dentist will create a more gentler or rigorous plan.