The Lucky Emergency Dentist
Every year it is someone, and this year I was lucky enough to be the one. I was the emergency dentist over the Christmas period.
Sure, I would have loved the chance to sit by the fireplace, sip mulled wine and routinely fall asleep every few hours, however, meeting new patients is always a pleasure. Even though they all had different emergency backgrounds, they had previously shared the same sentiment: “I don’t need to see the dentist, I don’t have any pain!”
During our emergency consultations I noted that their oral health had been neglected and that a few longer sessions were needed to restore their dentition. After relieving their dental pain we had the opportunity to discuss solutions to restoring their confidence and smiles. As our practice offers a range of treatments, we could offer them anything from simple restorations to dental implants.
We always would encourage our patients to stay with their regular recall exams so that more costly and complex treatments can be avoided. Early diagnosis of tooth fractures, decays and gum disease are treatable. however, if left until painful, longer sessions will be required. Modern dentistry is centered around preventing and detecting problems at an early stage. “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” certainly does not apply!
Remember that visiting a dental clinic is not all about broken teeth. During your consultation we have the opportunity to assess any signs of gum disease and are the only professionals who have the chance to detect asymptomatic oral cancer. We are happy to advise you on a healthy diet (just in time for those new years resolutions!) Many of our patients choose diet plans aimed at losing excessive weight however these sometimes do not take oral health into account and can even at times compromise their teeth.
So my message to you all for 2016: Visit your dental team regularly so that potential issues can be detected promptly. Your circumstances change constantly and this can affect your oral health. It is essential that your dental health can be reviewed accordingly and that a hygienist can communicate any issues to the team.