6 Things Your Dentist Wants You To Know

Medical professionals are often looked up to as those we run to whenever we feel something wrong with our bodies — and dentists are no exception to that.

Their knowledge and expertise are nothing to be scoffed at, and yet, they would like to impart some useful dental tips for the average person. Here are some of them:

1. Your X-Rays won’t cause cancer

Several patients still think that a single x-ray session could cause cancer. But truth is, being under the sun for an hour exposes you to more radiation than a session of x-rays. The drawback of not being able to detect a serious problem completely outweighs the nonexistent chance of getting cancer from your yearly check-up.

2. Know your insurance coverage

Patients assume that dentists magically know everything about their patients’ insurance policies — they don’t. Make sure you know what operations are covered to ensure a smooth appointment.

3. We won’t tell you if you have bad breath

Dentists deal with mouths day in and day out. They won’t tell you if you have bad breath, not will they act like you have bad breath — unless, of course, you ask.

4. Don’t let your toddlers sleep with their bottle of milk

Folks, babies can get tooth decay when they sleep with their bottle of milk. Cavities can develop this early on in a child’s life. It is a real phenomenon, but not much has been done by parents to stop this.

5. Skip traditional chewing gum

If you can’t stop chewing on something, try xylitol gum, a sugar substitute. It reduces the amount of bad bacteria in your mouth, which ultimately keeps cavities away.

6. Bleeding gums are serious

If any other body part bleeds, patients will immediately seek the help of a doctor. However, when people spit out blood when they brush their teeth — a clear indicator of bleeding gums — they don’t immediately act upon it. It’s a sign of periodontal disease, and your dentists would like to cure it as early as possible.