The American Dental Association notes that our earliest records of a dental professional is an inscription on the tomb of Hesy-Re, a scribe in Egypt who died in 2600 BCE. The inscription noted Hesy-Re as “the greatest of those who deal with teeth.” Your modern dentist may not go down in history as being “the greatest,” but there’s a good chance that they are better at their jobs than you realize. A lot of people think that a dentist’s primary purpose is to clean teeth and fill cavities, but the truth is that they are capable of much more. Here is how a family dentist can help you with your sensitive teeth, halitosis, finding a great cosmetic dentist, or sleep apnea.
Sensitive Teeth
Having sensitive teeth can be a real detriment to enjoying food and drink, especially when the sensitivity is triggered by anything that is too hot, too cold, too sweet, or too sour. First, you can ask your family dentist to show a bit more care when they go about their teeth cleaning procedure — which you are of course having done every six months — but you can also talk to your dentist about minimizing sensitivity. In most cases, this will mean addressing the root cause, which could be smoking, teeth grinding, teeth whitening products, plaque build-up, enamel erosion, or a number of other factors.
Treatment for Bad Breath
Halitosis, or bad breath, can be a symptom of a serious medical condition, or something as simple as a need for more thorough dental hygiene. Fortunately, your family dentist can help you determine the cause, so that you can find a solution. Reportedly, about 20% of people experience halitosis at some point in their lives, but fortunately, a little bit of extra attention is all that’s needed to clear it up.
Referral to a Cosmetic Dentist
Did you know that about 70% of people between the ages of 35 and 44 have at least one permanent tooth missing? World-wide, there are about 110 million teeth replaced each year. Since having missing teeth can take a toll on self esteem as well as dental health, it’s important to have tooth loss resolved quickly. Your dentist should be able to either recommend a good cosmetic dentist, or help you with your cosmetic dentistry needs.
Treatment for Sleep Apnea
Did you know that about 18 million Americans have sleep apnea, or trouble breathing while they sleep? If you’re one of them, did you know that your dentist could help? Most sleep apnea sufferers know that a surgery, or a CPAP machine could help to relieve their symptoms, but there are dental appliances that are also effective in treating sleep apnea. If you have this condition, talk to your dentist about how special devices could help improve your breathing while you sleep.
The next time that you go to see your dentist, remember that any of your dental and oral health concerns are in their scope of service. Whether you want some cosmetic dentistry, are worried about your bad breath, are considering options for sleep apnea, or want to put a stop to sensitive teeth, don’t be afraid to speak up. You might just find that your dentist is one of the “the greatest of those who deal with teeth.” More like this blog.
