Dentist secrets
Many people feel anxiety and fear when they think about going to the dentist. However, it’s important for your oral health to make those appointmentsโespecially if you’re in painโeven if going to the dentist isn’t always a walk in the park. To avoid dental emergencies, make sure you visit your dentist twice a year. Here are the answers to your most common questions, according to dentists.
The X-rays won’t harm you
A lot of patients are worried that dental X-rays can cause cancer, but if youโre outside for an hour, youโre exposed to more radiation than youโd get from a full set of dental X-rays. What I worry about is that if I donโt take an X-ray, I might miss something serious.ย โBryan Tervo, DDS Don’t miss why Covid-19 is bad for dental health.
People do notice good teeth
When someone meets you for the first time, the first thing they notice is eyes. Second is teeth, and third is hair. But people spend way more money on their hair than their teeth.ย โDamian Dachowski, DMD, general dentist, Horsham, Pennsylvania. Do you have teeth ridges? Learn why you have mamelon teeth.
We can smell your last meal
Donโt eat a heavy garlic lunch before coming to see usโweโd appreciate that.ย โJennifer Jablow, DDS. Definitely make sure you don’t eat any of these foods that cause notoriously bad breath.
But we won’t call you out
If your breath is bad, we wonโt tell you unless you ask.ย โGary Herskovits, DDS. However, it may be in your best interest to ask. Bad breath could be the sign of another medical issue.
Your dream teeth may not be possible
Patients come in with pictures of celebrities and say, โI want to look just like her.โ Iโm sitting there thinking, You canโt have a smile that looks like Angelina Jolieโs, because you donโt have a face that fits those teeth. Itโs like when you get your hair color doneโyou canโt just put the same highlights or lowlights in everybodyโs hair. โJay Grossman, DDS
Bottles can seriously damage your baby’s teeth
For the past 20 years, weโve been telling parents about baby bottle tooth decay and not to let a child go to sleep with a bottle. But I havenโt seen much of a change.ย โWinifred J. Booker, DDS, pediatric dentist, Owings Mills, Maryland
Chewing gum should be part of your routine
If you want to reduce the bad bacteria in your mouth, you should be all over xylitol (a sugar substitute found in chewing gum). It changes the chemistry of your mouth. Six or seven pieces of xylitol gum every day will help keep cavities away.ย โChris Kammer, DDSย (However, keep in mind that xylitol and other sugar alcohols can cause bloating and diarrhea, so don’t overdo it.)
No mouth piercings. Please.
With any kind of mouth piercing, thereโs a huge risk of infection if itโs not done in a really sterile environment. Iโve seen cases where weโve had to cut out pieces of the tongue because the infection was so rampant.ย Even when things go well, virtually everyone I see with a tongue piercing has chipped front teeth. Donโt pierce your tongue. โJay Grossman, DDS, cosmetic dentist, Brentwood, California. Here are signs you’re headed towards a dental emergency.
Know what your insurance covers before coming in
People come in for an appointment without knowing what their insurance covers. They think we have a crystal ball that tells us everyoneโs insurance information. We donโt. And we need to find out whatโs covered before we can do anything.ย โDamian Dachowski, DMD. These are the secrets your insurance company is keeping from you.
Bleeding gums are serious business
If your hands bled when you washed them, youโd run to the doctor. But in the publicโs mind, bleeding gums are OK. Unless youโre really whaling away with your brush, if your gums bleed even a little, thatโs periodontal disease, period. โRon Schefdore, DMD, general dentist, Chicago, Illinoisย
You don’t have “soft teeth”โYou have tooth decay
People come to me with a mouthful of tooth decay and say, โI got my grandfatherโs soft teeth.โ I donโt even know what soft teeth are.ย โBryan Tervo, DDS.
Next, learn how these everyday mistakes could give you tooth decayโand you don’t even know it.
- Bryan Tervo, DDS
- Damian Dachowski, DMD, general dentist, Horsham, Pennsylvania
- Jennifer Jablow, DDS
- Gary Herskovits, DDSย
- Winifred J. Booker, DDS, pediatric dentist, Owings Mills, Maryland
- Chris Kammer, DDSย
- Jay Grossman, DDS, cosmetic dentist, Brentwood, Californiaย
- Mark Mutschler, DDS, pediatric dentist, Oregon City, Oregonย
- Michael Alkon, DMD
- Ron Schefdore, DMD, general dentist, Chicago, Illinois