When to visit the dentist

The time may be nearing and that could be a great or bad thing for you.  What time might I be speaking of?  Well, that would be the time to visit the dentist of course. This is a topic that is so complicated and may be a scary one for many people.  The thought of visiting the dentist in 2020 can be a life and death situation with the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Across much of the country, we are under stay at home regulations and can't leave except for an emergency.  It really is a scary time and many people are using this reasoning to not go to the dentist at all for most reasons. That is why it is important to know when you should go out and visit the dentist and when you maybe should call first before you run over.

 

I think that knowing problems ahead of time is important. This goes doubly so for when your health is involved.  So my personal preference is to visit the dentist for health checkups or cleanings a few times a year. The ADA also suggests scheduling a biannual cleaning as a good rule of thumb just to stay on top of possible problems that may happen.  This is a good thing to do and I like to schedule my first cleaning or checkup of the year right after the Holidays.  So that is right in the beginning of the new year and then in the middle. 

 

What I usually get when I go to the dentist is a new game plan for the next 6 months.  I want to know that my teeth are safe and this is where everyone differs.  We all have different needs and teeth and dental hygiene areas that we need to focus on more than others.  This is why no one answer is correct and that everyone should go see their own dentist to see how they are coming along in their health.  So I would suggest putting that on the schedule to help pre-empt any issues that may end up occurring.  

I also like to visit the dentist after any major issues happen.  Well, that seems obvious but many people will feel extreme pain and do nothing about it or simply live with it.  At this point, dental health issues can lead to major medical issues as well.  That is why we need to be aware of things that may go wrong and stay strong in the idea that sometimes we need help.  If you are feeling discomfort in your teeth or lots of sensitivity, you probably should give your dentist a call and see what is best.  Video diagnosis is huge in 2020 and they can usually do a small consultation over the phone or computer.

 

Zoom is basically doing lots of medical and dental consultations this year.  The covid-19 pandemic has left us using lots of technology to protect us and to save time and cost for seeing doctors and dentists.   But if you are feeling pain, then it is definitely worth giving the dentist a call or zoom, to see if they can diagnose what may be happing quickly to get you feeling better and experiencing less pain.  I am all for less cost and pain in the long and short run! So set those appointments!