Dental check-up

When should you go to the dentist?

Many people avoid the dentist like the plague and make an appointment as a last resort only when the tooth hurts very much and the painkillers stop working. This approach is incorrect to say the least. We should always go to the dentist when we experience even a slight toothache or notice disturbing symptoms related to the oral cavity. The sooner we start treatment, the better.

Delaying the visit will not improve the condition of our teeth and mouth, but will only worsen it. However, we recommend following the principle "prevention is better than cure". There is no point in waiting until your tooth starts hurting. A much better solution is regular check-ups at the dentist, which help to quickly detect health problems of our teeth, e.g. caries, and cure them before the situation becomes serious.

If you feel even a slight toothache or other discomfort, do not postpone your visit to the dentist.

If you're wondering when to go to the dentist, make an appointment when you notice the following symptoms:

• you feel a toothache;
• you have bleeding, sore, red gums;
• your teeth are sensitive to cold and heat;
• you experience jaw pain;
• you notice white, brown or black discolorations on your teeth;
• you have been suffering from dry mouth for a long time;
• you feel pain when eating hard foods.

It is also worth making a preventive appointment for a dental consultation, during which the doctor will examine the teeth for the presence of active caries. He will check the condition of the gums and periodontium, and if he finds the presence of tartar, he will recommend dental hygiene. If the patient does not have a current (performed every two years) panoramic radiograph, the dentist will order one. During the dental examination, the doctor will assess the patient's current needs and possibly refer him to appropriate specialists, e.g. a surgeon or orthodontist.

Dental prevention

Dental prevention is extremely important if we want to enjoy healthy, strong teeth for many years. Regular check-ups at the dentist allow you to quickly detect any irregularities in the oral cavity, and preventive treatments additionally reduce the risk of developing caries and periodontal diseases. Their primary goal is to remove plaque and accumulated tartar, which negatively affect the condition of our teeth.

What preventive treatments are performed in the dentist's office?

Preventive treatments performed in dental offices include:

• scaling - during which tartar is removed;
• sandblasting of teeth - involving the removal of plaque and unsightly discolorations resulting from drinking coffee, tea and smoking cigarettes;
• polishing teeth - their surface is smoothed, which limits the deposition of various types of deposits on the teeth;
• dental fluoridation – a short procedure during which the hygienist applies a preparation with fluoride to the teeth; thanks to this, they become stronger and more resistant to acids and cariogenic bacteria;
• tooth sealing - performed mainly in children; the dentist fills the natural cavities in the teeth (which are difficult to clean, e.g. from food remnants) with a special sealant that prevents the development of caries.

Child's first visit to the dentist

The first visit to the dentist is very important for a child. It depends on what your child will associate a dental chair with. That's why it's worth making an appointment for your child - an adaptation visit during which trust is built between the young patient and the dentist.

The child then has a chance to get used to the specific environment of the dentist's office in a stress-free way and become familiar with the doctor's actions. It is recommended that the first visit to the dentist takes place before the child turns two years old. It is also a good idea for your child to visit their dentist at least a few times before having their teeth treated.

Contraindications to dental treatment

Remember that although dental treatment is advisable, in some cases we should change the date of our visit to the dentist. Dental treatment is contraindicated:

• Cold sores – during treatment, the dentist may irritate the lesion and damage it. As a result of rupture of the follicle, serous fluid will spill over most of the oral mucosa, causing stomatitis herpes.
• Menstruation – it is recommended to avoid any surgical procedures, e.g. tooth extraction or implantation, during menstruation. During this period, there is an increased risk of hemorrhages and reduced blood clotting, which favors the occurrence of complications.
• Illness and any ailments such as sore throat, cough, runny nose. Dental treatment during a cold or other infection is very uncomfortable for the patient. A stuffy nose or a persistent cough make it difficult to survive until the end of the visit, and the dentist's task is also difficult. In addition, a weakened body may respond worse to treatment. Let us also remember that during the visit we may infect our dentist, staff or other patients.
• Pregnancy – if the pregnancy is normal, there are no contraindications to treatment. However, in some cases it is recommended to avoid unnecessary dental procedures during this special period. Of course, follow-up visits are recommended (at least one per trimester) because during pregnancy, women often suffer from sore, bleeding gums, which is caused by hormonal changes.

Dentist and regular consultations

It is worth visiting your dentist regularly, at least twice a year. Check-ups allow you to quickly detect dental diseases, including tooth decay, and treat them before the situation becomes serious. During check-up visits, the dentist will assess the condition of the teeth, take an X-ray of the tooth, diagnose any problem and implement appropriate treatment.

The mentioned caries is one of the most common dental diseases that develops slowly and, if left untreated, leads to many more serious and painful diseases, e.g. pulp necrosis or periapical tissue abscesses. Quick treatment of a carious lesion allows you to avoid unnecessary pain, stress and often expensive treatment.

Regular visits to the dentist also save not only money, but also time. When the bad condition of the teeth is advanced, the treatment is expensive and time-consuming, and 2-3 or more visits are often necessary to treat a seriously diseased tooth, e.g. one with pulp necrosis.

Moreover, during a dental consultation, we can ask the dentist how to take care of our teeth and what toothpaste or brushes to use. The doctor will certainly give us tips on home oral health prevention.