Thinking of making that appointment? It might save you money in the long run.
It is recommended that you see the dentist every 6-12 months to ensure optimal oral health. It is easy to get into the mindset that a dentist is a place to avoid unless there is a problem to address. However, sometimes a problem starts off small or unnoticeable and only becomes apparent when the situation gets worse. This may limit the options of treatment that can be done to fix the problem.
Regular check-ups allow us to:
Complete our dental “WOF”.
Think of your regular dental check-up like getting your WOF done for your car. Getting this done every 6-12 months means that you know everything is functioning properly. It is nice to have peace of mind that your oral health is stable and healthy.
Detect problems earlier and avoid urgent dental treatment.
It is always best to be aware of a problem as soon as possible, as it allows you to plan to get back on course with oral health earlier. While toothaches and broken teeth are easier to be aware of, other problems like cracks, decay, gum disease, tooth wear/erosion and oral cancer can sometimes be present without you knowing. Our thorough examination will be able to pick these problems up and let you know about them.
Plan treatment earlier and avoid urgent dental treatment.
Both the dentist and the patient hope that at the conclusion of an exam, oral health has been confirmed as being healthy and stable. However, we sometimes detect problems or sometimes the patients come to us aware that a problem may be present. This is fine as we have discovered a problem earlier than otherwise and can plan to fix the problem and restore our oral health. During the examination, the dentist will be able to discuss the status of your oral health, what work needs to be done, what options there are to consider, and the costs and number of appointments needed to complete the treatment plan.
We are aware that the dentist is not the most favourite place to be and many people would prefer to not see us too often. Despite sounding counterintuitive, by seeing us regularly for dental check-ups, we can minimise the need for dental treatment which is what we are all ultimately wanting!
Dental emergencies and urgent dental treatment
Some dental emergencies are unavoidable, such as chipped and knocked teeth from accidents and wisdom teeth pains. But in most cases, toothache and broken teeth are caused by issues going undetected and/or untreated for too long. The emphasis must be made for regular examinations in the prevention of this happening, but sometimes problems can spring up on us unexpectedly.
Common problems include:
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Broken off fillings
- Sweet, cold and/or hot sensitivity
- Biting pressure tenderness
- Aches and pains
- Bleeding or red gums
- Food trapping between the teeth
- Wiggly teeth
- Bad breath
- Dry mouth
- Swelling
The best thing to do if you detect a problem is to let your dentist know and book in for a consultation. This allows the problem to be addressed early on which minimises the repercussions of the problem. Lingering on a problem may lead to things getting worse without you being aware of it. This may make treatment more intensive or more expensive than if the problem was tackled earlier.
If you are aware of any problems, please contact us at 04-387-9392
