Reasons You Should Go to the Dentist
You’ve been told since you were a kid that seeing the dentist is important to prevent cavities. You might have been told about the ‘sugar bugs’ that could attack your teeth if they weren’t properly cared for. As life gets busy and increasingly complex with age, it is not uncommon for adults to forget about the simple principles of oral health and why regular dental visits are important. We want to remind every adult in Edmonton: prioritizing your oral health is important.
As far as excuses, we’ve heard them all:
“I don’t have the best dentist in Edmonton”.
All certified dentists in Alberta are proficient at handling general dentistry concerns. If you are unhappy with your dentist, or you feel it’s not the best dental clinic, consider that these things are subjective. While one client may love a certain clinic, others may not. The most important thing that you can do if you’re unsatisfied with your dentist finds a family dentist in Edmonton that is a great fit for you.
“I don’t have a dentist near me”.
Have you moved residences or changed jobs? Sometimes, changing dentists to one that is more convenient is the best decision. You may like your dentist, but if you never see them, it doesn’t matter how great they are. What’s more important is that you have a dentist in south Edmonton that is convenient for you to attend. This should increase the likelihood of your regular appointments being kept.
“I don’t have any cavities or complaints”.
What great news! If you have been taking good care of your teeth and gums at home, your regular checkup and cleaning appointment will be brief. Consider, however, that when you stop going to the dentist, the only things that get you back there are usually issues that are causing pain because the condition is so advanced. At Viva Dental Wellness, we encourage our patients to see us every six months. This is partly because cavities or gum disease can be caught in their earliest presentation and quickly fixed with minimal intervention. Wouldn’t you rather a modest filling than a root canal and crown due to infection?
There are other conditions, like dentigerous cysts, that can be growing out of view of the naked eye. These cysts are like little fluid-filled balloons that expand and grow with few symptoms, if any. Once the cyst is large enough, however, it can damage the tooth and bone that holds your teeth in place. If you don’t see your dentist regularly, you won’t have seen the cyst in its early stages on your digital X-ray. That means that visible symptoms like drifting teeth or swelling will be what brings you to the dentist – often there is structural damage by then.
Cancerous tissues in the mouth can be identified quickly with a visual assessment at your Windermere dentist. These cancers can be treated the sooner they are identified. Some dentists use a special light that allows them to see beneath the exterior layer of tissue to the tissues underneath.
“I don’t have the time”.
This hearkens back to our previous point about conditions progressing unnecessarily when you don’t see the dentist. At our dental clinic in Edmonton, Viva Dental Wellness staff reminds patients regularly that preventative maintenance takes far less time to perform than more invasive procedures that require local anesthetic and restoration.
“I’m very nervous about going to the dentist”.
We get it. As a dentist in southside Edmonton, we help anxious patients get through their appointments daily. We offer private dental suites and aromatherapy to put our patients at ease. Some patients are afraid of procedures, some are afraid of even a cleaning. No matter the case, your dentist and their staff will partner with you to take things slowly and communicate with you. Establishing trust with your dentist is an important part of your overall experience at the dentist. When you know your dentist, you’ll ask more questions and feel more confident about the decisions that you make together.
On the topic of trust, it should be noted that it is particularly important for children to trust their dental team in order to make a positive mental association with the dentist. We recommend that parents and guardians begin bringing their children to their routine dental appointments to understand what it means to professionally clean the teeth – and that it doesn’t hurt. This takes the mystery out of the experience for children and allows them to get excited about being in the dental chair. If possible, children should see the dentist and establish rapport prior to any restorative procedures being performed.
Looking for a dentist in Windermere? Our Windermere dental clinic is accepting new patients. Call our office today to book a consultation with our general dentist to get started.