While it's usually recommended that you visit a clinic every six months for a good cleaning and exam, note a few reasons why you may want to visit a dental clinic in between your normal checkups.
1. You have jaw pain around the hinge of your jaw.
Jaw pain around the hinge of your jaw can mean that you have TMJ, a condition that involves overworking the muscles around the jaw. You may also be grinding your teeth at night and in turn, the muscles hurt from being tense and stressed while you sleep.
A dental clinic can examine you for either of these conditions and then make recommendations for treating them. You may be fitted with a bite guard you use at night which in turn can keep the jaw muscles relaxed, and protect your teeth from erosion caused by grinding.
2. You have pain in the very back of your teeth & feel something sharp there.
These symptoms may mean that you have impacted wisdom teeth, which are teeth that usually come in when a person has reached adulthood. Impacted means they cannot cut through the gums. A dental clinic can x-ray this area of the mouth and note if you are having problems with wisdom teeth and then make recommendations for extraction or another procedure that will allow them to come in normally and which will eliminate the pain.
3. You notice tooth enamel erosion.
Tooth enamel may get eroded from acidic foods and drinks, or simply due to age. A dental clinic can often place a sealant over your teeth, so that they're protected. This in turn can keep them from wearing down and even chipping or cracking due to this weakening of the enamel.
4. You need a second opinion.
A dental clinic may not be able to offer all the services of a standard dental office, but they can usually confirm a certain diagnosis or give you a second opinion. If your dentist has said that you need a root canal or a tooth extraction, a dental clinic can examine or x-ray that area of your mouth and confirm their diagnosis, or recommend you seek another course of treatment if necessary.
For more information, contact local dental clinics like G P Dental Partners. You can explain what's going on with your dental health and they will advise you on the best way to tackle it.
Share26 February 2015
When I had my first child, I was a nervous wreck. Every book I read gave different advice, and I just wanted to be right! By the time I had my third child, some of the stress had abated. I now realised, there were tons of different perspectives on everything related to raising children including dentistry. To help parents, I have created this blog dedicated to unraveling dental myths about children. I am including posts that weigh both sides of issues such as thumb sucking, dental caries, breastfeeding, flossing and any other topic I can think of. I hope you find the information you need to unravel dental myths, but most importantly, I hope you find some peace of mind. With kids and dentistry, there can be more than one right answer, and I want you to be able to relax and go with the answer that's right for you.
