Who is the one health provider you see more often than any other? For many people, the answer is their general dentist. There is a good reason for that: general dentistry is uniquely oriented towards prevention, and general dentists treat patients of all ages. They are also called family dentists, who take responsibility for the diagnosis, treatment and overall coordination of dental services that you need. Why do we need regular dental care?

General dentistry focusses on treatments that are necessary for long-term dental health. Your routine dental visit will involve a thorough examination of your mouth (including teeth, gums and other structures), a professional cleaning, and discussion about your dental (and overall) health. Your dentist will check your mouth for oral cancer, which is on the rise and needs to be detected early. If there is tooth decay, you will have a filling done in the affected tooth. These procedures, while the most common, are not the only services that are provided by your family dentist.

Preventive Services With General Dentistry

Prevention works by stopping the dental disease before it damages your smile. Regular exams with diagnostic x-rays and professional teeth cleaning are a cornerstone of prevention. Your general dentist may give your detailed instructions to improve your at-home oral hygiene, and may also recommend preventive treatments such as sealants. And if you play sports, you can be fitted with a custom-made mouthguard at your dentist’s office.

Restorative Services With General Dentistry

Your initial dental visits aim to heal all the dental disease in your mouth. Tooth decay, sensitive teeth, gum disease, bad breath (halitosis), canker sores and toothache are common oral diseases and infections. These dental health problems are caused by specific types of bacteria that colonize your mouth, and thrive in the presence of abundant resources such as sugar. The dental disease begins with plaque, a sticky layer of germs that grow on teeth daily. Without good oral hygiene habits and regular professional teeth cleaning, plaque leads to tooth decay. Tooth decay is known as a cavity, and it destroys the structure of the tooth. A dental plaque also causes bone loss and eventual tooth loss. In addition to restorative treatments, dentists manage dental trauma, such as broken, loosened or knocked-out teeth. They diagnose and treat tooth and gum pain. They have been known as heroes who got a popcorn husk unstuck from your gums or removed that big piece of dental stone (tartar) that was causing you a constant dull ache.

When basic treatment is done and dental disease and/or trauma is under control, a general dentist can offer services to replace missing teeth, to place crowns or bridgework, or to help you get fitted with dentures. At Maplewood Dental, we provide even more advanced treatments such as; root canals therapy, orthodontics and dental implants.

When Should I See The Dentist For General Dentistry?

The short answer is: every 6 months for preventive services, and otherwise, whenever you have a concern about your oral health. You may have a clear sign such as a toothache or bleeding gums that you mouth needs immediate attention. Or you may have heard of a cosmetic procedure that you would like to find out more about. Any questions or concerns of yours are our job to address.

Your schedule for routine dental appointments needs to fit your oral health status. For some people, 6 months between cleanings is too long to wait. We have had instances when a patient came in with gum swelling from dental stone that had formed since last cleaning. And the next visit with the hygienist was merely a few weeks away. The cleanings are scheduled more frequently for such a person to prevent this type of emergency from occurring again. A patient whose saliva is high in minerals and/or whose gum inflammation is ongoing needs to see a dental hygienist every 3-4 months instead of the usual 6 months.

Your efforts of sticking with the recommended schedule of preventive treatment, and practicing effective oral hygiene at home will pay off! By using general dentistry you will be free of dental disease and you will get to keep your smile looking bright and healthy for the rest of your life.