Our dental practice in Turlock is staffed with oral health professionals who have years of experience taking care of their patients. Our treatment philosophy is to treat you like family as soon as you request an appointment, and that’s served our staff and our patients well throughout the years.
Dental care and oral health are both two-way streets, though. We can clean your teeth and fill your cavity while you’re in our chair, but there are some things you need to do when you leave our office to stay healthy, like regularly brushing and flossing your teeth.
In this post, we’ll share five more things you can do as a patient to make sure you’re getting the most out of the time you have with your dental care team.
Be Honest about Your Medical History
One of reasons dentists ask about medical history is to make sure we’re safely treating your dental issues without complicating other health problems. Another reason we ask about your medical history is because some physical health issues and medications can negatively impact your oral health. Therefore, it’s important that you’re truthful and tell us about all the health issues you’re experiencing and any medications you’re taking so we can make sure you get the best and safest dental treatment.
Manage Your Appointments Thoughtfully
In a slightly different fashion, this tip helps make sure others get what they need from their dental care team. There are plenty of reasons you might have to cancel a dental appointment at the last minute, but if you are aware of a scheduling conflict ahead of time, please cancel your appointment as soon as possible. Dentists have a limited amount of time to schedule patients and canceling your appointment ahead of time allows us to treat another patient who needs our help.
Share Your Treatment Goals with Your Dentist
One of the best things you can do as a new patient with a new dentist is share your overall treatment goals during the first appointment. Maybe you don’t like a section of your teeth where they appear crowded. Maybe you wish your teeth were whiter. Even if you don’t think you can afford all the treatments you need to love your smile now, dentists can help you work toward your goals in steps.
Tell Us Why You “Don’t Like Going to the Dentist”
Lots of people have anxiety and fear about going to the dentist, but your dentist can’t help you overcome this fear and anxiety unless you tell them what it is that makes you uncomfortable. Additionally, many dentists have sedation dentistry options for those who really struggle feeling comfortable in their dentist’s chair.
You Don’t Have to Fib about Your Brushing and Flossing Habits
Trust us, dentists can tell if you aren’t brushing and flossing regularly. Instead of telling us you don’t understand why there’s so much plaque buildup during a cleaning with your flawless oral health habits, tell us about the obstacles that are keeping you from regularly brushing and flossing. We can help you work out a better routine that works for your life and keeps your smile clean and healthy.
Thanks for Reading!
We hope if one or more of these tips describe a familiar problem you’re experiencing in your dental care, it sparks a conversation with your dental care team. Oral health is best achieved when both you and your dentist treat your care as a two-way conversation.
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