Have you ever wondered why we, dentists, recommend that you visit us at least twice a year? That is, every 6 months? There are no evil intentions behind this recommendation. But the reason is that regular dental check-ups are necessary to maintain the health of the oral cavity and gums. Thus, during a regular examination, we can detect problems that you cannot see or feel on your own. Namely, many problems and damages are not visible until they reach a more advanced stage.
A good example of this is caries, gingivitis or, God forbid, something more serious like oral cancer. And we may even find that you are unknowingly damaging your teeth. For example, you use too strong toothpaste or too hard a toothbrush. What you can do on your own during the year is to maintain regular and thorough hygiene and to use oral hygiene products. This includes the use of soft toothbrushes and appropriate toothpaste. A tongue cleaner to remove many bacteria found on it, interdental brushes.
How often should we go to the dentist?
As a rule, a dental checkup twice a year works pretty well for most. But that can’t be said for people at high risk for tooth decay and gingivitis. They should visit us at least every three or four months, and this type of person certainly includes: smokers, pregnant women, people currently suffering from gingivitis, people with weak immune systems, people at high risk of tooth decaypeople who often drink fizzy, sweetened juices or eat fast food.
Of course the need to go to the dentist can change over a lifetime. For example, you may need to go for checkups more often during stress or illness. Your immune system will weaken significantly during this period. So your teeth will need help defending themselves against bacteria and viruses. Your dentist will know best how to tell you how much you need to visit.
How to prevent the fear of going to the dentist?
Bad experiences are the most common reason why people have a fear of dentists. To prevent the onset of fear of dentists, it is first necessary to find a trusted dentist who understands the concerns and fears of patients, and who will be willing to listen to any problems, patient experiences, and their traumas with previous dentists. Such a dentist must have a lot of understanding for the patient’s fear and discomfort and must have a lot of knowledge on how to deal with such patients. It would be advisable to have the first check-up at the dentist before all daily commitments in order to reduce the amount of daily stress to a minimum.
Also, it is not recommended to move immediately to the works during the first visit. During the first visit, he meets and talks to the doctor, and the second time, a simpler procedure is performed. Every procedure that will be performed must be explained to the patient in advance, so that he can mentally prepare for it.
How to prepare a child for the first visit to the dentist?
Parents have a crucial role to play in preparing a child for their first visit to the dentist. The first thing you need to do is talk to your child about the importance of dental health. Explain to your child why teeth need to be strong and healthy and why it is important to brush them every day. The child will understand more easily if you tell him that with strong teeth he will be able to eat a cube of fine chocolate more easily. As a help, a picture book that explains it all pictorially will come in handy. Once you have explained the importance of dental health start by explaining who the dentist really is and what exactly he does.
Children can very easily be intimidated by long white corners and masks around their mouths and that is why it is important to be familiar with the role of the dentist. In describing, try to be as realistic as possible and resist trivialization or exaggeration. Never frighten children that they will have to go to a bad dentist for irregular teeth brushing, who will drill and extract their teeth. You may make them brush their teeth this way, but you will create a fear of the dentist that is hard to get rid of in old age.
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