Having someone to carry on a pleasant conversation with can actually help relieve that anxiety, and distract you from the exam at hand. This is similar to the tactic some doctors use for children with fears of needles – they talk to them throughout the injection while carrying it out as quickly as possible.
A dentist with empathy skills knows how his or her patient feels and is willing to provide emotional support. When the patient says, “I feel lousy because my friends ridicule me for my bad breathe or crooked teeth” and the dentist is able to respond by saying, “Well, I understand how you feel.
Aside from communicating about the actual dental appointment, dentists and supporting staff also make an effort to make small talk with the patient. Small talk can be distracting, which helps to reduce and minimize dental anxiety. Small talk may include asking about family, work or school.
During routine dental examinations and cleanings, dentists can detect oral symptoms of stress, including orofacial pain, bruxism, temporomandibular disorders (TMJ), mouth sores and gum disease. If you're feeling tense or anxious, you should keep a watchful eye for signs of the following stress-related disorders.
Well, it turns out that your dentist not only knows if you brush your teeth, but they also know a lot more about you, even if you don't tell them. Every time you visit your dentist in Loveland, there are a few key things we're looking for — cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer, among other things.
During a dental checkup, dentists look for any signs of gum disease, such as swollen gums, discoloration of the gums and gum recession. They can provide treatment for gum disease, which may involve scaling and root planing and education on how to care for gums at home.
We will evaluate your need for tooth restoration or tooth replacement, and check your bite and jaw for problems. During the dental exam, we will also look for signs of oral cancer in the mouth and throat areas.
Keeping secrets from your dentist can prevent them from giving you the right treatment. Being truthful is critical to addressing the root cause of the problem to ensure that you have better oral and overall health in the future.
Dental Problems Related to Poor Oral Hygiene
Plaque buildup and loss of teeth are just the beginning for people that don't practice good oral health. You can also experience mouth sores, gingivitis, and halitosis. Periodontal disease is also a distinct possibility if you don't take care of your teeth and gums.
When your dentist greets you warmly and asks about your family or work, you may be thinking these are signs your dentist likes you. They're also just signs that you have a quality dentist who cares about you and wants you to be comfortable during your dental appointment.
As health professionals, dentists aren't interested in judging you or making you feel bad. All they really care about is your oral health. Rather than worrying about what they might think of you on a personal level, think of dentists as partners who are on your side and working to protect your oral health.
Your dentist will probably suggest options such as topical anesthetics to numb the affected area. Sedation dentistry is another option. Nitrous oxide, aka laughing gas, relaxes all but the most stressed patients, as can oral sedation, where the patient takes a small dose of an oral sedative.
You don't have to blindly agree to any dental procedure, and you have the right to speak up and have your concerns addressed. And even if you don't need to have work done, you should never be afraid to ask any question about your dental health and history—even if it makes your dentist uncomfortable.
There are many conditions we can identify during a visual examination of your oral cavity, even if you don't know you suffer from them. This includes mental health problems such as depression. Recent studies suggest that depression conclude depression is closely related to poor oral health.
Your dentist will inspect your face, neck, lips, and mouth to look for signs of cancer. With both hands, he or she will feel the area under your jaw and the side of your neck, checking for lumps that may suggest cancer.
It's important to remember that dentists don't go into their profession to judge people; they go into it to help them. No matter what your oral health condition is, a good dentist will not make you feel bad about it.
Your dentist will likely smell both the breath from your mouth and the breath from your nose and rate the odor on a scale. Because the back of the tongue is most often the source of the smell, your dentist may also scrape it and rate its odor.
In many cases, a dentist may be the first health care provider to diagnose a health problem in its early stages since many people have regular oral examinations and see their dentist more often than their physician.
Similarly to flossing, your dental team will also be able to tell if you don't brush your teeth often enough or even if you brush too hard. Those who don't brush the recommended two times a day will often have larger areas of tartar buildup and puffy, red gums.
Prolonged time without brushing your teeth can cause tooth decay and gum disease to become more advanced, which can lead to receding gums and even tooth loss. Additional issues, including a higher risk for the onset of Alzheimer's disease, can be linked to high levels of unchecked bacteria in the mouth.
You can make your teeth look good before a dental appointment by brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash. Brushing and flossing will eliminate any food particles stuck between the teeth, and mouthwash will freshen up the mouth.