The Benefit of Having an Emergency Dentist Near Me

Health & Fitness

If I was to ask you what emergency services you would like to have near you then of course you would go into the police, hospitals and the fire service, perhaps even a gas specialist, yet would you put dentist in that list? I have to be honest, prior to the beginning of last year having an emergency dentist near me would have been the last of my concerns but my goodness how it has helped myself and 2 members of the family.

What I hadn’t realized is that not every dental practice offers emergency treatment or appointments, as I discovered last year. Thankfully I found that I did have an emergency dentist nearby and here is why I would recommend that you find one close to where you live, and look after their number.

Emergency Situations

The first point to mention here is that you can of course always go to a hospital if you have an emergency issue but what will probably happen there is that they will help with pain and discomfort, and then refer you to an emergency dentist. If you have a dentist closely then you can cut out the middle man and go straight to the place where you will get the best care. I had 4 teeth knocked out last year in a sporting accident and were it not for that emergency dentist, I could have ended up in much worse shape than I did.

Speed is Key

Much like with so many injuries or issues, the speed at which the problem is addressed is absolutely critical. After those 4 teeth had been knocked out, I hadn’t realized but there was a great amount of dirt that had remained in the cavity of the teeth and had this been left untreated for much longer I could’ve ended up with severe infections which could’ve caused untold damage to my gums. Ultimately the faster that you are able to get some care, the better your prognosis is, and that goes for a wide number of issues and incidents which can take place with your teeth.

Night Terrors

For whatever reason issues of the mouth and the teeth seem to worsen at night, and those who have infections or abscesses find that the middle of the night is hell, unable to sleep and in agony. As we all know, there aren’t too many dental practices which are open in the middle of the night, with the exception of the emergency dentists. Now if you were to go to the hospital with such pains or complaints then they would likely put you in the queue along with everyone else and you’ll have to wait your turn behind those with injured limbs or high fevers, and you will not be the priority. If however you can get to an emergency dentist nearby then you will be seen to quicker and you can get the issue resolved.

It is likely that you do have an emergency dentist nearby, the key is to plan ahead and make sure you have that number to hand.

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How to Prepare For the Dentist

Health & Fitness

Do you have a dental appointment coming up? Are you feeling a little nervous and unsure how to prepare for it exactly? There are two different ways. If it is your first time going to that dentist you will want to prepare a little more and a little differently. If you have been to the top Waterford dentist before, there are a few simple things you will still want to do. Keep reading as our experts explain how to prepare for the dentist. 

The first list we are going to talk about is if you have already gone to that dental practice before.

First, you want to make sure that you show up early. Show up around 10-15 minutes before your appointment. If you show up late and they still can see you (there’s a chance you’ve already missed your chance then and need to reschedule), you will end up pushing the entire dental practice schedules back and everyone behind you will then be late. That is why it’s important to always be on time. 

Has anything inside of your mouth been bothering you since you last saw the dentist? If you have taken any notes about any pain or discomfort you are experiencing, make sure you bring those to the dental office. If you don’t have any notes, the night before your appointment, sit down for a couple of moments and think if anything unusual has been going on inside of your mouth. This will help you communicate and remember to share any of your concerns with your dentist during this time. 

If you have any questions in general about your oral health or something that you can be doing better, make sure that you write those down then. You don’t want to get home and realize that you meant to ask them a specific question. If you want you can also bring a pen so that you can write down any answers that the dentist says so that they are fresh in your mind. 

If there is anything else you want to show the dentist or ask them, make sure that you have it all ready to go before your appointment. Once you go to your appointment, you will be all ready and feeling prepared. 

Those were the steps to prepare yourself for the dentist if you have been before. If you have not been before, keep reading as we share those preparation tips. 

Many of these will be similar to if you have been before with a few additions. The first is that you want to show up a little longer in advance. You will have a couple of steps when you get to the dental office. One of the main ones is filling out paperwork. You will fill out any issues you have been experiencing, you will fill out anything you are allergic to, and they will ask you some more questions so that they can have an overall sense of where you are at. You will also need to sign a couple of forms. 

When you go to the dentist for the first time you will want to bring a couple of things with you. The first is identification, Most dental offices request a copy of your driver’s license or a form of government identification. If you have insurance, make sure that you bring your insurance card with you to make it a lot easier for them to work with your insurance and find you. Your identification will also be to verify that your name is the same as on the insurance card. Another thing that you will want to bring is money. You typically can bring cash, a debit card, or a credit card. Most insurance plans still require you to pay $20, sometimes you pay that to the dental practice and sometimes you pay that to the insurance company. If you do not have insurance, this is especially important that you bring money with you so that you can pay for your visit. 

You are most likely transferring from a different dental practice. You can beforehand call the previous dental practice and ask them to transfer all your records to the new practice. If this is uncomfortable for you or you have run out of time, you simply can ask the new dental practice ahead of time to contact your old dental practice and have everything sent to them. This way, it is prepared for your appointment and has already been sent. We recommend trying to get this process started as soon as possible before your appointment. 

Just like a regular appointment, you will want to write down anything that has been bothering you since you last saw a dentist. Since that dentist doesn’t know any issues you have had in the past, you also can let them know any problems you have experienced over the years so that they can be caught up. The more you are able to communicate with the dentist the better your experience will be.

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How Often Do You Really Need to Visit the Dentist?

Health & Fitness

Visiting the dentist is one of many people’s least favorite things to do, all that drilling and digging about in your mouth is hardly enjoyable and as such, keeping your teeth in great condition is worth doing. It’s not just the visiting of dentists that can cause problems, even finding a good dentist isn’t easy, especially if you are looking for a dentist with not just great skills, but also a calming bedside manner. I recently had an issue when I was traveling and spent an age searching for dentists in Fremantle, thankfully the one that I found was friendly, helpful and got the job done.

As much as you may want to avoid it, and even if you do have healthy teeth, you do need to get your teeth checked up on from time to time, just to make sure that everything is healthy in your teeth and gums, so how often should you really be visiting the dentist?

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Problem Free

If you look after your teeth through regular brushing and the avoidance of foods or activities that can cause damage to your teeth then an annual check-up is all you will need at the dentist. This annual check-up will just be so that the dentist can spot any changes in the way your teeth are growing or if any small problems are developing. IF you do look after your teeth then this check-up should be quick and very painless.

Possible Problems

Some activities that you can do to risk the health of your teeth included smoking, not brushing regularly, eating a lot of sugary foods and drinking a lot of things like coffee and red wine which will stain your teeth.  If you fall into this category then you are at a much higher risk of having dental problems and you should be going for a check-up at least twice a year if not 3 times. If you are high risk and you are getting regular check-ups then this will allow your dentist to spot any problems which you may develop early, the dentist can then start any treatments that he needs to make before the problem becomes bigger. Also if you are pregnant or are undergoing chemotherapy then you should also be getting regular check-ups.

Children

If you have children then it is important that you take them to the dentist at least twice a year, this is the time when the teeth are growing the most and if any corrections need to be made to straighten the teeth, then these should be done at an early to improve the chances of success. You don’t need to take your child to the dentist every time one of their baby teeth fall out but staying in regular contact with your dentist throughout this time will help your child best when it comes to the future of their adult teeth.

Nobody loves going to the dentist and the best course of action is to live a life then helps you to keep your teeth healthy, this way you can have an annual check-up that should be problem free.

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Your Teeth Are Your Biggest Reason to Smile

Health & Fitness

There are many reasons in life to smile, one of which would be your teeth.

That said not everyone has the best experiences when it comes to their teeth.

Through genetics, not taking care of their teeth, or quite frankly bad luck over the years (accidents, breaks etc.), many people discover it to be an uphill battle to have nice, healthy teeth.

As a result, they end up without the nicest of teeth, not to mention some rather lengthy financial bills when all is said and done.

So, how can you give your teeth the best chance at staying with you for many decades to come?

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Dentist is Your Best Friend

First and foremost, family dental care should be a priority from a young age on up.

With the right care, individuals can enjoy their teeth for many years to come, along with keeping their dental bills to a minimum.

If you’re not sure what you have been doing wrong in trying to keep your teeth healthy, keep these items on your to-do list:

  • See a dentist regularly – While many people grew up with the routine of visiting the dentist every six months, others are lucky if they get there once a year (if that). In order to give your teeth a fighting chance, make sure to schedule regular dental visits (especially if you have children). Given that many insurance plans cover regular dental cleanings (sometimes prescribed X-rays too), there really is no reason to not see your dentist at least once a year. Your dentist can catch issues that you as the patient may not notice. From gingivitis to early forming cavities, your dentist can be your teeth’s best friend;
  • Brush regularly – You’ve probably had this ingrained in your head since childhood, but brushing regularly truly does give your teeth the opportunity to last you many years. Along with flossing regularly, brushing is important for a number of reasons, notably because it holds you over in between dental visits. If you do notice any discomfort and/or bleeding, it may not necessarily be a problem. Some people’s gums bleed due to sensitivity, while some of that bleeding can be due to the fact you are actually getting in to areas that need attention. If you are having regular bleeding, notice foul breath, and see that your gum lines are receding and/or spacing between your teeth is becoming an issue, seek dental care as soon as possible;
  • Avoid injuries – As tough as your teeth may be, they are susceptible to personal injury just as other parts of your body are. With that being the case, it is important to protect them as much as possible. If you play contact sports (especially children), be sure to wear a mouth-guard. Also be careful when eating foods that could easily break a tooth, things like hard candy, pretzels, nuts and more. If you do break a tooth or worse, seek medical help immediately;
  • Eat the right foods and avoid sugary drinks – If you have to eat sweets, by all means brush as soon as possible afterwards. Foods that are high in sugary content and/or sticky can damage teeth over time. The same applies for sugary drinks (notably sodas). If you must drink soda, sipping it through a straw is better, along with making sure you brush your teeth as soon as possible. Along with being bad for your stomach due to its acidic content, sodas can eat away at teeth’s enamel, not to mention leave stains over time. Lastly, talk to your dentist about drinks that will not be harmful to your teeth. Drinking water is best of all, especially right after consuming a Coke or Pepsi.

Keeping your teeth healthy doesn’t have to be a painful and expensive task in life.

By starting with regular dental visits at an early age, continuing through much of your adulthood, and watching what you eat and drink, your teeth can literally last you the rest of your life.

As for those individuals afraid to go to the dentist, just think of what life would be like with many of your teeth missing over time.

Yep, that’s not something to smile over.

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