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Your First Dental Appointment After a Period of Neglect

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You know that routine dental visits are something that you are supposed to be doing for the welfare of your oral health. However, this doesn't mean that you have been making sure to make it to your dentist as often as you should. If you have procrastinated on those dental visits for far too long and you are finally going to get in to see the dentist, then you want to know what to expect once you get in that chair for the first time in a long time. Here are some of the things that you should expect to happen.

Paperwork updating

If it's been a while since your last visit to the dentist, then you will have to fill out a bit of paperwork to update the dentist on any changes to such things as your address or physical and/or dental issues, as well as to update them on medications you are on.

Medical history 

When you see the dentist, they are going to go over your medical history with you to get a better sense of any conditions you may have that can affect your oral health, such as diabetes. They will also ask you certain things, such as about medications you are on, even if you already answered these things on the forms. They will also want to discuss any dental issues you have been experiencing lately and make sure any and all questions you may have are answered.

Clean your teeth

Your teeth will be professionally cleaned. The process shouldn't be painful, unless your teeth are in such bad shape that they have other issues or you naturally have a very low pain threshold. You will immediately see the difference in both the look and feel of your teeth after having them professionally cleaned, because all of that junk on your teeth that survives your normal dental routine will be gone.

X-rays

After the cleaning, the dentist will want to take X-rays of your teeth. This will allow them to see what's really going on with them. They will be able to spot cavities, fractures, decaying, abscesses, and other issues that will need to be treated. Having X-rays done can be unpleasant because the films they put in your mouth may have sharp plastic edges that can be irritating to certain areas in your mouth, such as the insides of your cheeks. However, the process will be over quickly.

Treatment

If you are found to have problems with your teeth, such as cavities or fractures, then the dentist will, of course, want to tend to them. They will want to fill the cavities and possibly get you set up with a crown to protect any teeth that have fractures, breaks, or chips. Any other problems will also be treated then, or you will be set up with a future visit in which the dentist will tend to those issues.

Contact a general dentist like Dr. Jon Douglas Lesan, DDS, RpH, PA, for more information.


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