Have you ever wondered why the American Dental Association and your dentist recommend patients come back every six months? It is because regular dental visits are essential for the maintenance of healthy teeth and gums. And in between those examinations, it is important that patients work to keep their teeth and gums clean and healthy. The importance of oral health in the early years of life is well documented, and advocated by professional and academic stakeholders worldwide. Specifically, early childhood caries, the most common chronic childhood disease, is known to disproportionately affect vulnerable parts of the population and have substantial impacts to children, families, and health systems. Even the most advanced dental techniques can not erase bad experiences from past dental visits but, checking teeth for tooth decay, getting a thorough cleaning exam, and early detection of oral cancer is a key to maintaining good oral hygiene. Early childhood oral health influences and outcomes are considered pivotal in determining oral health trajectories across the life course, and can impact oral health and disease occurrence in adulthood.
Checking a patients teeth for tooth decay is just one part of a complete dental examination. Children, even newborns, can get cavities at a very young age. This is called Early Childhood Caries (ECC). Because the child already has their twenty primary teeth in their jaw they should be taken to the dentist even before their first tooth erupts. When a child is going to sleep never give them any sugary foods such as juice or milk to fall asleep, this will give them a disease such as a cavity or even worse. The child may even need a root canal which is a procedure that involves replacing the infected pulp with restorative material or even an extraction of the tooth. Of course, no child will want that nor will the parent, so the best thing to do is prevent it. Early prevention and early intervention in early childhood and adolescent years are important because losing teeth has a lot of implications on a person's overall well-being that continues throughout their life (Whelton). During a checkup appointment, the patient’s dentist or dental hygienist will evaluate the health of their gums, perform a head and neck examination to look for anything out of the ordinary and examine the patients’ mouth for any indications of oral cancer, diabetes or vitamin deficiencies. Dentist may also examine the patients face, bite, saliva and movement of the lower jaw joints or Temporomandibular Joints (TMJs).The list of possible ramifications of dental caries is long, and includes dental and medical consequences, pain, diminished quality of life, lost time meaning children’s from school and caregivers’ from work or other activities, increased expenditures, and others.
A patients dentist or dental hygienist will then clean the teeth and stress the importance of patients maintaining good oral hygiene at home between visits thoroughly and clear enough for the patient to fully understand. Keeping the patients mouth clean and healthy is an important part of having a healthy body (“Why Regular Dental”). Over time, teeth build up, plaque and bacteria cause irritation to the gums. Flossing removes plaque and any decaying food remaining stuck between teeth, which helps prevent gum problems. Plaque can cause infection in the gums and the bones that supports the teeth. Many dentists will pay special attention to plaque and tartar. This is because plaque and tartar can build up in a very short time if good oral hygiene is not practiced between visits. Food, beverages and tobacco can stain teeth as well. If not removed, soft plaque can harden on the teeth and irritate the gum tissue. If not treated, plaque can lead to gum disease. Once a patient has had a well-executed cleaning the dentist will then apply the last step of the cleaning process is a fluoride treatment. This treatment is used as a protectant for the patients’ teeth to help fight against cavities for several months. The dental hygienist may ask what flavor you like best just as a way of increasing your overall experience. They will then place the foamy gel or sometimes a sticky paste into a mouthpiece that fits over your teeth. It is usually left on your teeth for one minute. Besides the foamy gel, fluoride varnish is also painted onto the teeth with a small brush. Fluoride varnish will harden when in contact with saliva, so you can eat and drink immediately after for a full 30 minutes. Whether a patient needs any additional steps or not, the key is to keep going back to the dentist for regular teeth cleanings to prevent problems altogether.
Oral cancer is an extremely serious disease that manifests itself in various ways. Without knowing the signs of its early onset, oral cancer is often not diagnosed and can quickly progress and become life threatening (Whelton). But thankfully, an early stage oral cancer diagnosis is often easily treatable. The dentist is highly trained to recognize these signs and symptoms, and with regular dental checkups every six months the likelihood of catching oral cancer in time is dramatically higher. Recognizing oral cancer in its early stages is key in treating it successfully, and while patients may not notice oral abnormalities, the dentist will. A VELscope Cancer exam is non-invasive, entirely pain-free, is covered by MSP in some cases, and lasts only a minute or two at most. The exam catches invisible signs of dead tissue caused by tumors forming by shining a special light inside the mouth.
Dental anxiety and dental phobia starts from childhood and can cause an adolescent to not want to visit the dentist regularly. Understanding that early learning is key to the development of dental anxiety but cognitive and contextual factors can also play a role in a person when wanting to go to the dentist (Seligman). “Many people fear the dentist because when they were children, they were told to not be afraid,” says Dr. Gross. “This actually instilled fear that has lasted many years. Dental visits today are very different, with many dentists offering music, TVs, and new high-tech procedures that can help erase old memories.” Having bad experiences leads to dental anxiety, Many people simply are afraid of the dentist’s office, but there are a number of things patients can do to minimize this. An effective way to make the experience positive is to speak with the dentist about fears, and considering to listen to pleasant music to promote an environment that is positive and soothing, more like a spa. Communication is usually the best way to develop a positive dental experience. Not having routine dental visits can result in oral health problems and is associated with lower quality of life but, sometimes dental anxiety is not the only thing that keeps a patient from the dentist. In 2010, more than 132 million US children and adults lacked dental insurance, and only about one-third of U.S. dentists accept Medicaid. In fact, for every person without medical insurance, almost three people are without dental insurance (U.S. Census Bureau). As a result, dental care is one of the first health-related services that people have to delay without adequate benefits to help with the costs. The cost of performing basic oral hygiene and preventive teeth cleaning is relatively low (“Why Regular Dental”). High prices are the major factor preventing many people from getting regular dental checkups. A recent survey found that 44 percent of people were not visiting the dentist because they do not have dental insurance. “The truth is that if patients take good care of their teeth and mouth, yearly dental visits won’t cost a ton of money,” says John Dodes, DDS, a dentist in Forest Hills, N.Y., and author of Healthy Teeth: A User’s Guide. “Easy additions to the daily routine, like flossing and rinsing with a therapeutic mouthwash like Listerine, can help get and keep patients mouth healthy.” While dental insurance can save some people money, others may not have dental insurance. An alternative to dental insurance is a dental savings plan, which is like a dental membership club. In these plans, the patient will pay an annual fee, usually much lower than the annual cost of dental insurance. Therefore, creating excuses to visit the dentist office because of bad experiences or dental cost is just a way the patient self-handicaps themselves.
There are multiple techniques and guidelines that should be followed to keep a person’s smile feeling healthy and clean. This includes proper brushing and flossing techniques as well as regular check-ups. Following these techniques and rules helps maintain the proper oral care that will help anyone keep their teeth for a lifetime. A healthy smile says a million things about a person. Besides nothing a person wears is more important than their smile. Regular dental visits help to fix dental issues while they are small. If a patient procrastinate, there is a good chance a small cavity can become large, needing a large filling, crown or even a root canal. Schedule a regular dental visit as part of an annual healthcare routine and it can save time, money and needless dental pain.