What a Dentist Can Do that You Can Not Do at Home

Recently my father in law had a very bad toothache that he was taking painkillers for. As I watched him sit in pain, ibuprofen barely taking the edge off, I suggested that he see our family dentist. He scoffed and said that there was nothing a dentist could do for him that a good teeth brushing and swishing with mouthwash couldn’t do. I tried to convince him otherwise but to no avail. Not surprisingly, his teeth are in very bad shape.

There are many people who feel this way about general dentistry. Oral services seem to have become optional in peoples benefits packages. Maybe it is because we are now required to have health insurance and they don’t want anymore money taken out of their paycheck, but a lot of people don’t even opt for dental coverage. However, having a good family dentist is important to your overall oral health. Let’s take a look at what a good family dentist could offer in the way of dental services that you wouldn’t be able to do at home.

1. Cleaning
   You probably are thinking, “Cleaning? That’s definitely one thing that I can do myself.” But, believe it or not even cleaning in a dental office is done in such a way that you could not copy it at home. It is important to keep up with your own cleaning and rinsing and flossing but a dentist can really get in between each tooth and in the back of your mouth much more thoroughly. Most of us tend to brush her teeth fairly hurriedly and don’t spend as much time as we should. We feel that flossing is optional and often forget to pick up mouthwash from the store when were out anyway. Regular visits to the dentist could scrape out any unseen food that is getting moldy and fermenting in your teeth. Old food can even corrode your teeth even if it is so tiny you can not see it.




2. Diagnosing
   If there is something wrong with your teeth or gums, chances are you probably can’t see it yourself and you may not even be able to feel it. But if you see your family dentist regularly then they will be able to catch early stages of gum disease and other issues. What most people don’t realize about gum disease and teeth conditions is that they do not just affect your mouth. Gum disease in particular can make its way through your body and affect other organs when not dealt with.




3. Suggesting
   If you are open to it the dentist will be able to recommend certain types of toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash depending on the condition of your teeth. If we are uninformed then we may be using too rough of toothbrush or a toothpaste that is not sensitive enough or something like that. It’s important to use the proper tools in order to get effective dental care at home. Who better to tell us what tools we need then a medical professional who has years of experience and the qualification to back up his opinions. But, in order for your dentist to be able to do this effectively, you have to be willing to listen to his advise and realize that he knows a lot more about the subject than you do.




4. Further Work
   Root canals, cavities and other work that needs to be done in order to keep your teeth in top top shape can only be done at a medical professional’s office. There is no on that would claim to be able to do these things to themselves. If for nothing else than the ability to be numbed or put under, a dentist office is the way to go. However, this ‘further work’ can be avoided by regularly visiting your dentist at least twice a year. Early detection is key to prevention.

In this economy it can be easy to put dentist visits at the bottom of your list of priorities. Doing this, however, can cause detrimental affects to your body. Don’t forego the dentist, you will regret it. If you get a chance to add dental benefits to your package then it is highly recommended that you do so.