Patients who neglect proper care of their mouths by not regularly seeing a dentist, risk not only getting tooth and gum disease, but they also risk getting diseases and illnesses in other parts of their body. Some major health conditions related to oral health include heart disease, diabetes, stroke and breast cancer.
Usually, the recommended maximum amount of time between dental appointments is six months. However, your dentist in Fairfax may recommend that certain people visit more often, including those who are at higher risk of developing dental problems such as: Pregnant women. Smokers.
If you haven't been to the dentist in years, first of all, do not be embarrassed or ashamed. We see teeth of all shapes and sizes, some very healthy and others in need of some TLC. No matter how long it's been, it's never too late to get back in the chair.
If you haven't been to the dentist for quite some time now, you're going to need professional dental cleaning. Since you haven't been to the dentist for several years, you will likely have plaque buildup around your teeth. This is perfectly normal and is not something to be embarrassed about.
If a person doesn't do what they're asked, removal may well be the next step. And where someone has been violent or particularly abusive, they may be removed from the list without any warning. The practice should always explain why someone has been removed.
Teeth may come in slightly later and this is usually perfectly fine, but if the eruption pattern is abnormal or no teeth have erupted by the age of 18 months, we may diagnose it as delayed tooth eruption.
We'll conduct a comprehensive mouth examination
Our exams involve taking a comprehensive look at your teeth, gums, and jaw and discussing your x-ray findings. Your dentist will review your bite and evaluate your risk of gum disease and tooth decay. We'll also check your tongue and gums for early signs of oral cancer.
It's important to remember that dentists don't go into their profession to judge people; they go into it to help them. No matter what your oral health condition is, a good dentist will not make you feel bad about it.
Symptoms of tooth decay
tooth sensitivity – you may feel tenderness or pain when eating or drinking something hot, cold or sweet. grey, brown or black spots appearing on your teeth. bad breath. an unpleasant taste in your mouth.
Patients who neglect proper care of their mouths by not regularly seeing a dentist, risk not only getting tooth and gum disease, but they also risk getting diseases and illnesses in other parts of their body. Some major health conditions related to oral health include heart disease, diabetes, stroke and breast cancer.
If dental anxiety or fear has stopped you from seeing your dentist, you're not alone. An estimated 80% of Americans have some level of dental anxiety, with 9% to 15% avoiding the dentist entirely due to anxiety or fear.
Although most dental experts typically recommend a visit every 6 months, some people allow those months to turn into years and sometimes even decades. We find people avoid the dentist for several different reasons: You might fear the dentist because of a bad childhood experience or because of the movies.
Tartar typically requires professional removal, which is why teeth cleanings are so key. Left unchecked, tartar can cause tooth decay, cavities, erosion of gum tissue, gum disease and other problems. Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, involves swelling and bleeding in your mouth and can lead to early tooth loss.
They may range from light pink in some people to dark pink and brown in others. Symptoms of periodontitis can include: Swollen or puffy gums. Bright red, dark red or dark purple gums.
In conclusion, gum disease can be reversed depending on the stage it has reached upon diagnosis. Even if the condition has progressed to later stages where irreversible damage has occurred, gum disease can often still be treated and oral health significantly improved.
A reasonable goal is to visit the dentist at least once a year for an oral health checkup, although some evidence suggests that those at a low risk for disease may extend to 18-24 months.
As far as statistics for the average number of cavities, the number varies across different age groups. In general, adults develop an average of three cavities during their lifetimes. This means that the average adult has three or four fillings in their mouth.
Teething takes about 8 days, which includes 4 days before and 3 days after the tooth comes through the gum. (You may see a blue-grey bubble on the gum where the tooth is about to appear. This is called an eruption cyst and will usually go away without treatment.)
Scientists estimate age by comparing the stage of tooth formation in the X-rays and bone with known dental growth standards. Figure 1. Human teeth. (Source: Gray's Anatomy)For toddler to age 21, teeth are the most accurate age indicators.
To assess the accuracy of the method, each of these mean values was then compared with the gold standard of chronological age. Results On average, estimated dental age (DA) over-estimated chronological age (CA) by 0.29 years, approximately 3½ months.
Talking to your dentist about your options
If there is a need to remove all, or some, of your teeth, your dentist will discuss the procedure with you. They will also talk to you about the best option for replacing your teeth. This varies from person to person as dental implants are not suitable for everyone.
Dentists do have the right to discontinue ongoing treatment if, in their best clinical judgment, the patient's best interests are served by doing so. This can be accomplished without the risk of having abandoned the patient.
Simply put, this means that you always have the right to refuse recommended treatment. When your dentist explains treatment options to you, they should also give you the option of “no treatment at all.” There are usually consequences with this option, all of which will be explained to you during your appointment.