Who is a dentist?
A dentist is an expert in treating, diagnosing, and preventing oral and dental conditions. Regular screening sessions with a dentist can help maintain good oral health and prevent chronic diseases, impacting one's overall well-being. Dentists perform various oral health procedures, including dental fillings, root canals, tooth extractions, and fixing crowns. Hence, maintaining good oral hygiene and being regular with a dentist can help prevent and overcome health conditions that require complicated procedures.
Dentists undergo extensive medical training to receive a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or a DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) degree. Both degrees are equivalent and require the same training. Both degree holders can perform the same dental treatments and procedures.
What does a dentist do?
A dentist's prime responsibility is promoting good oral hygiene and health. They identify and treat medical problems affecting teeth, gums, and mouth. For this purpose, they use modern technology equipment and advanced machines like X-rays, drills, scalpels, lasers, brushes, and other medical tools. They always wear protective gear like masks, gloves, and safety glasses to avoid infection. Some of their regular tasks include:
- Filling teeth cavities
- Removing or cleaning decay from teeth
- Prescribing X-ray scans and reviewing diagnostic reports
- Filling sealants
- Removing or repairing damaged teeth
- Offering dental advice
- Administering anesthesia for dental procedures
- Conducting routine checkups and screenings
- Checking the growth of teeth and jawbones
How does one become a dentist?
To become a dentist, the aspirant must complete an undergraduate science course, studying biology, general health, mathematics, or chemistry. After receiving an undergraduate degree, they must clear a dental admission test to enroll in accredited dental schools.
Dental school students study biomedical science in the first two years and engage in clinical practice in the third and final years. Students earn a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) degree upon graduating. Dentists must clear the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) and a state-specific examination to earn licensure.
Some dentists opt for further specialization in one of the twelve subfields recognized by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards (NCRDSCB). To do so, they must complete a postgraduate course in the chosen subfield, which can take up to three additional years.
What are the available dental specialties?
Dentists aim to help with preventative care, maintenance, and care of healthy teeth and treatment of various dental issues. However, a dentist can either provide general dental care or focus on treating specific problems. The twelve available specialties in the field of dentistry are:
- Pedodontics or pediatric dentistry: Treats dental problems in children, teens, and adolescents.
- Orthodontics: Focuses on realigning jaw structure and straightening teeth. Specialists in this field offer such services through aligners, braces, retainers, and other appliances.
- Endodontics: Specializes in performing root canal procedures. Most dentists perform root canal treatments, but an endodontist takes care of complex cases.
- Periodontics: Treats gum diseases and other conditions affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth.
- Prosthodontics: Manages damaged teeth by fixing crowns, dentures, and bridges.
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery: Involves treating and diagnosing jaw, mouth, and facial defects. This field also includes cosmetic dentistry, which specializes in improving the appearance of a smile. Other treatments include teeth whitening, gum contouring, and fixing porcelain veneers.
- Oral and maxillofacial pathology: Focuses on the causes and effects of oral diseases. Oral and maxillofacial pathologists are experts in diagnosing complex oral and dental conditions.
- Oral and maxillofacial radiology: Specializes in dental imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, etc.
- Public health dentistry: Aims to improve a community's oral health. Specialists in this subfield organize programs for disease prevention.
- Dental anesthesiology: Specializes in providing anesthesia during dental or oral surgical procedures.
- Oral medicine: Focuses on treating and diagnosing people with chronic oral conditions.
- Orofacial pain management: Focuses on the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of pain in the teeth, gums, jaws, head, and face.
How vital is oral health?
Recent scientific research has established a connection between inadequate dental hygiene and a heightened likelihood of experiencing severe health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Keeping your oral health up to the mark will benefit your overall health and well-being. Since oral health concerns are connected to other health hazards, the World Health Organization has incorporated oral health into its efforts to prevent chronic diseases.
Moreover, the American Dental Association suggests dental appointments should start when a child turns one. It establishes a safe space for oral health called a "dental home." Dentists are the best source of advice for both parents and children. They provide preventative oral health care and identify and treat chronic dental conditions at the earliest stages. Consequently, it becomes easier for children and adults to retain excellent oral health as they age with this continuous dental treatment.
What conditions are linked to oral health?
Our mouth is home to various germs. Most of these germs are harmless. However, the mouth serves as the entry point to the digestive tract, where the food begins to pass from our mouth to the anus. It also connects to the respiratory tract, which allows us to breathe. Because of this, germs in the mouth can sometimes lead to diseases in other parts of the body.
Your oral health may play a role in conditions like:
- Endocarditis: This refers to the infection of the inner lining of the heart's chambers or valves, called the endocardium. It often occurs when germs from another part of the body, like the mouth, enter the bloodstream and attach to areas of the heart. While rare, endocarditis can be life-threatening.
- Cardiovascular disease: Research suggests a link between heart disease, clogged arteries, and stroke with the inflammation and infections caused by oral germs.
- Pregnancy and birth complications: Gum disease, known as periodontitis, is lined with premature births and low birth weight.
- Pneumonia: Certain mouth bacteria can travel to the lungs, potentially causing pneumonia or other respiratory issues.
Some health conditions can negatively affect your oral health. These include:
- Diabetes: Diabetes weakens the body's ability to fight infection, making gums more susceptible to disease. Gum problems tend to be more frequent and severe in people with diabetes. Studies show that gum disease makes it harder for individuals to control their blood sugar, but regular dental care can help manage diabetes better.
- HIV/AIDS: People with HIV/AIDS often experience oral issues, including painful mouth sores known as mucosal lesions.
- Cancer: Some cancers have been linked to gum disease, including cancers of the mouth, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, breast, prostate, and uterus.
- Alzheimer's disease: As Alzheimer's progresses, oral health tends to deteriorate as well.
Some other conditions that may be associated with oral health include rheumatoid arthritis, eating disorders, and Sjogren's syndrome, a condition which causes dry mouth due to immune system dysfunction.
Be sure to inform your dentist about any medications you're taking and let them know about any changes in your overall health. This includes recent illnesses or ongoing conditions, like diabetes.
What is orthodontic treatment, and who needs it?
Orthodontic treatment primarily focuses on correcting malpositioned teeth, jaws, and bites. Alignment of the teeth and jaws helps patients chew and speak comfortably and improves the aesthetics of the face, building their self-confidence.
The main advantages of seeking orthodontic care are:
- Improved functioning in the mouth
- Reduced risk of oral problems such as dental caries and gum issues
- Enhanced oral hygiene
- Decrease in the number of dental emergencies
- A healthy and beautiful smile
Common orthodontic problems in kids include pain and discomfort during chewing, losing milk teeth early or late, mouth breathing and cheek biting habits, and loss of alignment between teeth and jaws.
Orthodontists routinely use braces, archwires, aligners, elastics, mouthguards, orthodontic surgery, and retainers to fix the teeth and jaws. Braces are brackets with slots fixed to the teeth and have archwires threaded through them. Archwires help move the teeth in a more desirable direction. Elastics connect the upper and lower jaws, so they move together.
Orthodontic surgery helps rectify skeletal issues in the jaws. Athletes wear mouthguards to prevent sports-related injuries. Aligners are removable transparent shells that patients wear themselves. Upon treatment completion, orthodontists provide retainers to maintain the teeth' position
Orthodontic treatment can also help adults correct specific problems such as bite issues (overbite, underbite, or open bite), crowded teeth, protruding teeth, long-lasting infections in the teeth and gums, and pain in the jaws.
Common dental issues
You can visit a dentist for various reasons, from preventative care and dental maintenance to emergencies. Before you rush to an emergency dentist near you, panicking about your dental issues, it is best to be aware of some common problems you might face. Knowing these will help you remain calm and understand your body better. Some of the common dental issues are:
It is a widespread occurrence and can happen due to multiple reasons. Rinsing your mouth with warm water might help for temporary relief. However, if the Toothache persists and causes a fever, swelling, or puss on the affected area, visit a dentist immediately.
These are little holes in your teeth formed when plaque builds up and destroys the enamel protecting your teeth. A small cavity can ultimately also lead to tooth decay. Maintaining a healthy dental care routine and periodically seeing your dentist can help you avoid this.
It is one of the most common dental injuries. You can chip your tooth due to an accident or even try to eat something hard. Depending on how severe the chip is, the dentist may either add a crown to the tooth or carry out a root canal and then add veneers.
It refers to having extra teeth in your dental cavity. An extra tooth can lead to extreme pain and conditions like Gardner's syndrome. It is advisable to have it removed and correct the bite/ the alignment of the rest of the teeth.
Bleeding or tender gums is a pervasive issue people face. These can be the symptoms of gum disease, which is also called gingivitis. It usually happens when plaque builds up and causes infection in the gums. A dentist will help you with dental cleaning and prescribe antiseptics to treat the issue.
How to find a dentist near you in Charlotte, MI?
Dental conditions can lead to significant medical issues like heart disease and stroke when left unattended. Symptoms like Toothache, bleeding gums, teeth sensitivity, persistent bad breath, or other discomforts, which many people overlook, can indicate more profound issues. Since symptoms of many chronic conditions first appear in the oral and dental regions, it is essential to have routine consultations with a dentist. And if any severe dental issue is disruptive to your day-to-day functioning, it is helpful to have an emergency dentist near you for help. But how do you find a good dentist in Charlotte, Michigan? Zocdoc is your answer!
Zocdoc provides access to a complete directory of doctors in and around Charlotte, Michigan. When you register with Zocdoc, you can access this directory free of cost. You can filter the available dentists by specialty, gender, location, and preferred appointment date. You can also search for dentists who accept your insurance policies for hassle-free claims.
Professional profiles include detailed information on the doctor's hospital affiliations, educational background, specialty, accepted insurance plans, location, and spoken languages. You can also access patient reviews detailing doctors' service quality, hospital experience, and wait timings. This information can help you make an informed choice in picking the best doctor. You can choose between an in-person and a video-call consultation and leave a review of your experience after your appointment. Zocdoc can also help you find doctors on short notice, so you can quickly find the best emergency dentists near you without worry.
You can schedule appointments using only one plan at a time when you have multiple insurance plans. If you have various plans, specify your secondary carrier and plan in the notes when booking with your chosen provider. If your provider uses Zocdoc's intake forms, you can also include your secondary insurance information while completing the forms online. You can visit Zocdoc's patient health center for additional details on insurance-related matters.
All bookings on Zocdoc are simple, secure, and completely free!
Statistical data on dentists in Charlotte, MI
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2021, there were approximately 3,700 general dentists in Michigan, more than most states. In the Lansing-East Lansing metropolitan area, where Charlotte lies, there are roughly 170 active general dentists.
According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, in 2020, roughly 70% of adults in Michigan had a dental visit in the past year. Of adults aged 65 and above, nearly 32% had lost at least six teeth, and approximately 13% had lost all natural teeth due to tooth decay or gum disease.
Sources
WebMD[1]
Cleveland Clinic
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
World Health Organization
WebMD[2]
American Association of Orthodontists[1]
American Association of Orthodontists[2]
American Association of Orthodontists[3]
Mayo Clinic
