During an oral exam, you may notice your dentist checking your tongue. This is an important part of your routine check-up, as the tongue can provide your dentist with a better understanding of both your oral health and overall health.
The Right Way – Your dentist in Madison will recommend that you gently rest your tongue on the roof of your mouth and about a half an inch away from the back of your front teeth. At the same time, your lips should be closed, and your teeth held slightly apart to avoid placing unnecessary pressure on your teeth.
To Ease Dental Anxiety
However, I understand that needles, drills, and other dental tools can be intimidating. So, many times I use small talk to distract my patient, and I find that it helps to reduce dental anxiety. Small talk may include asking about family, work, or school.
When your dentist greets you warmly and asks about your family or work, you may be thinking these are signs your dentist likes you. They're also just signs that you have a quality dentist who cares about you and wants you to be comfortable during your dental appointment.
During routine dental examinations and cleanings, dentists can detect oral symptoms of stress, including orofacial pain, bruxism, temporomandibular disorders (TMJ), mouth sores and gum disease. If you're feeling tense or anxious, you should keep a watchful eye for signs of the following stress-related disorders.
A lot of people are hesitant or afraid of the dentist because of bad teeth or chronic dental problems. If you're one of them, rest assured that there's nothing to be embarrassed about.
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.
Examining Your Tongue: Upon a closer examination of the tongue, your dentist will check the size and texture of the tongue to ensure a healthy mouth. Your tongue's size and surface can determine a lot about your dental health, as well as your overall health.
'” Usually, dental patients in pain or the throes of anxiety will close their eyes. That's not a problem, dentists say, unless they're tensing up the rest of their faces, too.
Similarly to flossing, your dental team will also be able to tell if you don't brush your teeth often enough or even if you brush too hard. Those who don't brush the recommended two times a day will often have larger areas of tartar buildup and puffy, red gums.
Physicians often ask their patients to "Please stick out your tongue." The tongue can betray signs of illness, which combined with other symptoms such as a cough, fever, presence of jaundice, headache or bowel habits, can help the physician offer a diagnosis.
It's a way to get clues about what's going on in your body before it erupts. Take digestion as an example: The tongue can reveal an imbalance in the digestive system, although it doesn't lead to a specific diagnosis, like irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease.
Proper Tongue Positioning
When your mouth is at rest, your tongue should be against the roof of your mouth, but it should not be pressing against any of your teeth. Your teeth should be slightly apart, and your lips should be closed.
Your dentist will probably suggest options such as topical anesthetics to numb the affected area. Sedation dentistry is another option. Nitrous oxide, aka laughing gas, relaxes all but the most stressed patients, as can oral sedation, where the patient takes a small dose of an oral sedative.
They recommend and request unnecessary procedures.
One of the biggest warning signs of a bad dentist is making you undergo procedures that you do not really. For example, if the dentist wants to remove your old fillings even though they are still intact.
Dentists Know When You Are Lying
Your dentist has a way of telling if you are lying by simply examining the condition of your mouth, including your teeth, gums, and tongue.
Keeping secrets from your dentist can prevent them from giving you the right treatment. Being truthful is critical to addressing the root cause of the problem to ensure that you have better oral and overall health in the future.
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.
Cavities are nothing to be embarrassed about, and they are definitely not something to try and ignore. Cavities that are not caught early on at your regular check-ups can cause tooth pain or aches, especially after ingesting hot, cold, sweet food or beverages.
There are several options available for those who need free or low-cost dental treatment. For instance, your dentist may refer you to a community clinic that offers dental treatment for a low fee, or a nearby dental school where you can be treated for free or at a low cost by students in training.
Communicate your concerns. Explain to your dentist why you're embarrassed before your visit. Sharing your concerns with the dentist and dental staff will help them adapt their treatment to your needs and put you at ease while you're in the chair.