Dental Checklist for Your Next Dental Appointment

It is a good idea to be well prepared for your Palo Alto dentist’s appointments. Dental health plays a fundamental role in your overall health. This brief checklist will help you prepare for your upcoming dental appointment. 

Create a list for your upcoming dental visit 

Before your dental appointment, make a list of all your concerns, questions, and issues. This will help ensure that you don’t miss anything during the appointment.  Few things are more annoying than discovering you forgot to discuss important questions or concerns with your general dentist in Palo Alto after you have left their office.  

The list can include questions or issues like:

  • What are your options in fixing a certain dental concern
  • What kind of dental products/supplements you should use at home 
  • Whether something you notice about your gums or teeth is an issue
  • What foods are ideal for your teeth 
  • How to improve your dental anxiety

During your appointment, our dentists at Cambridge Dental Studio will be patient with you and take time to go through all your concerns and provide advice accordingly. 

Verify your appointment. 

At Cambridge Dental Studio, our friendly staff will always contact you via email and text 1 week and 2 days prior to your appointment to confirm and remind you of your appointment. Please ensure you add the appointment to your calendar. 

Make a note of the exact time you should go for the appointment — also, try to arrive 10 minutes prior so that you can fill out the required paperwork.  

What’s more, if this is your first visit or you are unfamiliar with the dental office’s location, you may want to inquire for directions. This will surely go a long way toward minimizing frustration or stress on the appointment day. 

Notify the dentist of any health changes. 

As we mentioned earlier, there is a strong correlation between dental health and general health. Not only can your dental health influence your overall health, but the opposite is also true. 

Let your dentist know if there have been changes in your health or you are under any new medications.  These new circumstances may necessitate a change in your dental care regimen. For instance, certain drugs might cause the mouth to dry up, making the teeth more vulnerable to decay. Furthermore, some diseases, such as diabetes, can have a substantial impact on your dental health. Make sure you furnish the dentist with your detailed medical history and carry a list of your medications to your appointment.

Lastly, consult with your dentist regarding any fears or concerns you have about how your general health and oral health may impact each other.

Gather the necessary documents.

It’s all too easy to forget vital documents when you’re racing to get to your dentist appointment. Gathering the relevant paperwork ahead of time can go a long way toward avoiding this. 

Make sure to bring any appropriate insurance cards and their co-pays. A driver’s license or other state-issued ID is required at our dental office, as well.

Importantly, carry with you any oral devices you’re using to make sure they’re still functioning properly. Regular inspections, maintenance, and repairs are crucial in ensuring these devices are safe and effective at safeguarding your teeth health. These oral devices may include anything from retainers to dentures.   

Follow the dentist’s instructions.

Are you getting ready for a dental procedure? Are there any guidelines your general dentist in Palo Alto gave you beforehand? If that is the case, it is wise to note them down, so they are easier to recall and follow. 

Some dental procedures require that you don’t drink or eat right before the procedure. For others, the dentist may require you to eat prior to the procedure because eating after will be tricky. 

If you are going to be sedated, the dentist may advise that you bring a friend along so that they can drive you home after the appointment. 

Whatever the case may be, the advisable thing to do is listen to the dentist and do your best to follow their instructions.

Brush your teeth prior to the appointment.

Even though the top dentists in Palo Alto have seen it all, it’s rational to brush your teeth before your dental appointment. Having a bad breath or dirty teeth may make you feel uncomfortable and maybe a tad bit embarrassed. Brushing beforehand will make you feel more at ease once the dentist gets to work.  

Remember, everyone appreciates a clean mouth!  

Don’t stress over your next appointment.

When you plan ahead, dental appointments become a breeze. Use the above checklist, and you will be well prepared to see your Palo Alto dentist. 

However, remember that not being prepared for an appointment is no reason to postpone it. Visit your dentist today!

Schedule Dental Appointment with General Dentist in Palo Alto

5 Reasons to consider root canal treatment

The phrase “root canal” can spark anxiety in people’s minds. Nonetheless, root canals can be exceedingly helpful in saving your teeth if they get infected. This pain-free treatment is recommended in several dental situations. 

Some of these situations include:

  • Decayed teeth 
  • Infection of the pulp
  • Loss of tooth nerve
  • Tooth fractures or trauma
  • Red or swollen gums around a tooth
  • Teeth sensitivity to hot and cold foods
  • Chewing pain when biting down

Root canal treatment at a glance

A root canal treatment (endodontic therapy) entails cleaning out the decay and saving the infected tooth. During a root canal procedure, your Palo Alto dentist will: 

  • Assess the degree of damage to your teeth  
  • Take an X-ray to analyze the infected area further
  • Use local anesthesia to numb the section around the infected tooth so they can commence with the procedure.
  • Get rid of the decayed tissues and disinfect the tooth properly
  • Perform the tooth restoration procedure. This can be done on the same day or scheduled for a later day. It depends on the complexity of the infection or the location of the tooth. 

Why you should consider root canal treatment

There are 5 more compelling reasons to consider a root canal: 

  1. Prevent infection of surrounding teeth

When your pulp or tooth’s nerve tissue gets damaged, it breaks down, allowing the upsurge of bacteria in the pulp chamber. Usually, this may cause gum infections, bones loss, and swelling. It could also cause a dental abscess, spreading the infection past the ends of the tooth roots. A root canal treatment is required to take out the infected pulp that houses the bacteria, thus preventing the spread of the bacteria. 

  1. Prevent tooth loss

There are several ways of treating a decayed tooth. Some people prefer tooth extraction to get rid of the tooth in question. Usually, this provides a permanent remedy in dealing with cavities or further toothaches. 

However, at Cambridge Dental Studio, we also lean toward protecting and preserving your natural tooth over extracting, whenever possible. Tooth extraction leaves gaps between teeth, which requires cosmetic or restorative procedures, such as implants or bridges to close the gap. With root canal treatment, patients don’t have to be concerned about losing their teeth or requiring another procedure. After the procedure, your tooth will be restored and will function like any normal teeth.   

  1. Prevent jawbone degeneration  

Unlike tooth extraction, a root canal treatment preserves the infected tooth. When you have missing teeth for an extended period, your jawbone begins to degenerate, causing premature sunken or aging appearance. Root canals, thus, help preserve your jawbone structure by preserving your natural teeth.   

  1. Improve teeth aesthetics 

Root canal entails removing the infected tooth pulp. The area is then cleaned and restored with a dental filling or a crown that restores your natural smile!  

  1. Improve oral and overall health 

Severe tooth decay has a significant impact on a person’s oral and overall health. People with poor dental health are likely to develop diabetes, heart disease, gastrointestinal infections, respiratory infections, and many other complications.  Treating tooth decay through a root canal can help boost your oral health, which in turn improves your overall health. 

What to expect after a root canal procedure

For the first few days following a root canal procedure, your tooth may feel a little sensitive. You might also experience mild inflammation. If that is the case, your dentist may prescribe some pain medication to help ease the discomfort. 

While you can resume normal activities after a root canal procedure, it is best to avoid sticky, chewy, hard, and crunchy foods to ensure proper healing.  

Do you need a root canal procedure in Palo Alto?

There is plenty of misconception surrounding the benefits of root canal treatment. However, most Palo Alto dentists will agree that getting a root canal procedure is the ideal option for saving a severely infected tooth. So, how do you know you need a root canal done?  The only way to tell is by visiting a dentist in Palo Alto and getting evaluated. Don’t put your oral and overall health at risk. Schedule an appointment soon.

Read More About Root Canal in Palo Alto