Things To Do Before A Dental Appointment

You may not have realized that in order to get the most out of your dental appointments, you must start preparing weeks ahead of time. Here are some of the things you can do to create an effective and thorough appointment:

Write Down Any Complaints You Have

Starting a few weeks from your appointment, start noting down any complaints you notice. You may only see your dentist for a checkup once a year, so it's important to mention any and all issues you've had over the course of the year. That may take some brainstorming. But if you notice anything during the weeks before your appointment, you can get more specific with writing down how long the issue lasts, the exact locations of pain, and the severity or quality of the pain.

Keep Consistent Brushing and Flossing Habits

Another thing to keep in mind is that dentists like Dansville Family Dental Care can give you their best evaluation when you keep your brushing and flossing habits steady. You might be tempted to floss like crazy before an appointment, but this is very obvious to the dentist. With gums that aren't used to a lot of flossing, there will be small lacerations in the gum tissue.

If you keep your brushing and flossing habits just as they are, your dentist gets a better sense of how much plaque is building up between dental visits. If needed, they can recommend additional equipment, like water flossers, that make it easier to keep cavities at bay.

Keep Consistent Eating Habits

Your dentist also can tell you things about your health based on the color of your gums, the pattern or color of your tongue, and the types of plaque found on your teeth. Those are all affected by your diet in the weeks leading up to your appointment. To get the most accurate read on your health, it's a good idea to keep your diet the same as usual before you go to your dentist appointment.

Review Insurance Coverage and Limits

Finally, take a moment to review your current insurance policy limits and coverage types. It is helpful to know how much money you have left if you want to consider reaching for cosmetic dentistry and other more expensive treatments. Some dental care providers will inform you before you go over your coverage limits, but it's still important to know for yourself what you can expect to have covered.