Who are dentists?
Dentists are medical experts who specialize in oral and dental health. They diagnose and treat problems with the gums, teeth, and mouth. A dentist's primary duty is to encourage excellent oral hygiene among people.
Education and training of dentists
In the United States, individuals who aspire to become licensed dental practitioners undergo a rigorous educational and training process similar to that of medical doctors. The journey begins with completing an undergraduate program and earning a bachelor of science degree. Afterward, candidates pass the dental admission test to apply for dental schools.
The dental school training program consists of the following steps:
- Two years of biomedical science education
- Two years of clinical practice
- Earning a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DDM) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree
- Passing practical and written examinations to obtain a dental license.
What are the different dental specialties?
Dentists are responsible for maintaining people's oral health, but dental specialists also focus on treating specific issues. These specialists complete four years of dental school and then undergo an additional two to three years of education and training in their chosen field to become experts. There are various specializations that a dentist may pursue, such as:
- Pedodontics, or pediatric dentistry, treats children, adolescents, and teenagers.
- Orthodontics focuses on realigning bites and straightening teeth for optimal health and function by offering braces, clear aligners, retainers, and custom-made appliances.
- An endodontist is a dental specialist skilled in performing root canal therapy, particularly in complex cases.
- Periodontists diagnose and treat conditions affecting the tissues around teeth, especially gum disease.
- Prosthodontists design and create natural-looking laboratory crowns, bridges, and dentures.
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons treat diseases, defects, and injuries of the jaws and other orofacial structures, including wisdom teeth removal and other procedures.
- Oral and maxillofacial pathologists investigate the causes and effects of oral disease and make diagnoses in complex cases.
- Oral and maxillofacial radiologists interpret dental X-rays, CT scans, and other dental imaging tests.
- Public health dentists create programs aimed at disease prevention to improve oral health in communities.
- Dental anesthesiologists offer advanced pain management services for dental or oral surgery patients.
- Oral medicine specialists focus on diagnosing and treating people with chronic medical issues.
- Orofacial pain management dentists diagnose, treat, and prevent pain in the teeth, jaws, head, and face.
- Cosmetic dentists enhance smiles using teeth whitening, veneers, and gum reshaping.
- Implant dentists can place dental implants, a popular and long-term option for teeth replacement. This can be done by periodontists, oral surgeons, and general dentists.
- Reconstructive dentists treat people with extensive cavities or gum disease, and the treatment often includes extensive procedures that may require multiple appointments to achieve the desired outcome.
- Forensic dentists examine teeth and interpret dental records for legal purposes. For instance, when law enforcement finds human remains, forensic dentists can evaluate teeth and jaw bones to identify the victim.
What conditions do dentists treat?
Dentists diagnose and treat various conditions, including the following:
- Bad breath (halitosis): Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath. While it is expected to have bad breath occasionally, it might be a sign of chronic halitosis if it persists. Chronic halitosis is typically a symptom of an oral health concern (cavities, periodontitis, etc.) or a condition affecting a different part of your body (sinusitis, deviated nasal septum, throat infections, etc.). Besides bad breath, other symptoms of this condition include excessive plaque, dry mouth, postnasal drip, and a metallic taste in your mouth.
- Gum (periodontal) disease: Gum (periodontal) disease refers to infection and inflammation of the tissues supporting your teeth. Its symptoms include bleeding gums, soreness, reddish or purplish gums, pain while chewing, and bad breath. Depending on its severity, gum disease has four stages: gingivitis, mild periodontitis, moderate periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis. If untreated, the latter stages of this condition can result in your teeth loosening and eventually falling out.
- Teeth grinding (bruxism): Bruxism refers to clenching, grinding, and gnashing your teeth, mainly when you are unaware of it. While it is more common for you to grind your teeth subconsciously when you are awake, it can also happen in your sleep. Symptoms of bruxism include jaw pain, headaches, and tooth sensitivity.
Why should you visit a dentist near you?
A dental visit is essential for the following reasons:
- Preventive care: Besides cleaning your teeth to eliminate plaque and tartar, the dentist might inspect your mouth for early symptoms of gum disease, dental decay, or oral cancer.
- Pain or discomfort: It's time to visit the dentist if you experience pain or discomfort in your teeth, mouth, jaws, or gums. Something may be wrong if your neck, mouth, or face hurts or swells up. Similarly, if your gums are bleeding or you have difficulty chewing or swallowing, you can visit a dentist to determine the cause.
- Maintenance and health: A dentist can help monitor your health if you're pregnant, using tobacco products, or have other chronic medical conditions.
What happens at a routine dental appointment?
Daily dental hygiene at home and visiting the dentist once or twice a year are essential. Even though these visits may not seem crucial, they are necessary for preventing gum disease and spotting dental problems in their initial stages. Here is what to anticipate when you visit the dentist for a regular checkup.
There are three components to a typical dental visit:
- X-rays: These will provide the dentist with a clear look at any problems developing in the jaw or teeth that might not be evident on the surface.
- Cleaning: Even with good home oral hygiene, plaque and tartar can accumulate in hard-to-reach mouthparts. Dentists can thoroughly clean and look for any gingivitis or gum disease indications during cleaning.
- Exam: The dentist will physically examine your teeth, gums, and oral tissues and analyze your X-rays. Preventive care examinations are essential for maintaining good oral health. During a typical dental visit, comprehensive exams can detect dental problems, even oral cancer, in their earlier stages.
Is it essential to brush your teeth and tongue?
Plaque, tartar, and bacteria can all be present in your teeth. Brushing your teeth is vital since it can get rid of the majority of oral bacteria. But getting rid of germs on your tongue and gums is also crucial for maintaining dental health. Brushing, flossing, and thorough tongue and gum cleaning are essential.
Always clean your tongue after brushing your teeth. Use your toothbrush to scrub your tongue for 15 to 30 seconds after finishing your dental hygiene routine. It will eliminate most of the bacteria on your tongue. Use a tongue scraper to eliminate germs or other buildups on your tongue.
The most accessible approach to getting food particles, germs, and tartar out from between your teeth is to floss often. If possible, use a water flosser. The American Dental Association (ADA) has acknowledged water flossers as an effective technique for eliminating plaque and bacteria from teeth, although they are not a substitute for flossing.
When should you floss — after brushing or before?
The best way to get food and plaque off your teeth is to brush them. The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth two times a day for two minutes each with fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is a mineral that guards against cavities and tooth decay. The ADA strongly advises using an interdental cleaner or flossing daily (such as interdental brushes, floss picks, or water flossers) to enhance oral health and reduce the incidence of cavities and gum disease.
Maintaining clean teeth, preventing plaque accumulation, and maintaining fresh breath are all benefits of brushing and flossing. What matters is what you do first. Although it may come as a surprise, a study has shown that flossing before brushing with fluoride toothpaste improves the removal of interdental plaque more than the reverse. Additionally, fluoride is retained between the teeth when flossing before brushing. Flossing helps remove plaque, germs, and other debris between your teeth. When brushing, more waste is flushed out of the challenging-to-reach interdental regions, followed by water rinsing.
Oral conditions linked to your general health
Many studies have demonstrated the strong connection between dental and overall health. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has included oral health in preventing chronic diseases and improving overall health. Here are some ways in which your oral health can reveal underlying health conditions:
- Endocarditis: Certain germs or bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream and attach to some heart regions, causing an infection of the heart's inner lining known as endocarditis.
- Heart disease: Research suggests that oral bacteria can cause infections and inflammation that may contribute to blocked arteries, strokes, and other heart diseases.
- Pneumonia: Bacteria in the mouth can travel to the lungs, causing respiratory illnesses like pneumonia.
- Diabetes: Patients who have diabetes are more vulnerable to gum disease due to a weakened ability to fight infections. This can make it difficult to regulate blood sugar levels. Regular periodontal care can help individuals with diabetes manage their condition.
- HIV/AIDS: Patients with HIV/AIDS often experience oral issues like mucosal sores.
- Osteoporosis: This bone-weakening condition is associated with periodontal bone loss and tooth loss. Certain osteoporosis medications may also increase the risk of jaw bone loss.
- Alzheimer's disease: As Alzheimer's disease progresses, dental health often deteriorates.
Finding the best dentist near you in Pasadena
You can avoid problems like halitosis (poor breath), gingivitis, and tooth decay by thoroughly cleaning your mouth and having regular dental checkups. Zocdoc allows you to book an appointment with the best-qualified dentists in Pasadena with just a few simple steps.
On the Zocdoc website, enter your symptoms, preferred day and time for an appointment, current location, and insurance details. You will see Pasadena's top dental specialist list.
Zocdoc also offers detailed profiles for each dentist listed on the website, making selecting a practitioner simple. The profile includes information on a dentist's education, training, experience, specialty, services offered, accolades, and even verified patient reviews to help you pick the right one.
Using Zocdoc’s insurance detector, you can quickly identify in-network providers near you. While you can add medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to your Zocdoc account, you can only search for and schedule an appointment with one insurance plan at a time. If you have multiple plans, you can mention your secondary insurance plan and carrier in your notes for the provider in the last step of the booking process. If your provider uses Zocdoc's intake forms, you can add details about your secondary insurance while filling out your forms online. For more insurance-related queries, check Zocdoc's patient help center.
With Zocdoc, you can schedule appointments with the right dentist near you for any day, even the same day, subject to the doctor's availability. Every appointment booking is free, quick, and secure.
Dental health statistics in California
According to America's Health Ranking 2020, approximately 64.6% of California residents visited a dentist or dental clinic within the previous year. A study by the University of California and the Healthforce Center at UCSF found that California had more dentists per capita than the rest of the nation. In California, over 80% of dentists practice general dentistry. Although California has a sufficient number of dentists, the Health Resources and Services Administration has estimated that 2.2 million Californians live in locations with a shortage of dental professionals.
California has the most dentists, making up 15% (30,772) of the 199,486 dentists in the U.S. in 2018. It amounts to 77.79 dentists per 100,000 people, higher than the national ratio of 60.98 dentists per 100,000. In 2015, there were 33.9% more female dentists in California than nationwide (28.9%). In California, there will be 46% more female dentists by 2035.
Women may be more susceptible to cavities and periodontal disease during pregnancy. Poor dental health during pregnancy can harm both the mother and the unborn child, making oral health an essential part of prenatal care.
According to a report by the California Dental Association's magazine (April 2022), approximately 43.9% of California ladies who gave birth to a live child had a dental visit during their pregnancy. Only 35% of pregnant women with Medi-Cal prenatal health insurance visited a dentist. Similarly, just 35% of pregnant women under 25 visited a dentist.
Sources
Cleveland Clinic[1]
Cleveland Clinic[2]
Pearland Family Dentistry
Eado Family Dental
Sensodyne
LeapScholar
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Issuu Inc.
University of California
Mayo Clinic
WebMD
Verywell Health[1]
Verywell Health[2]
Verywell Health[3]
Verywell Health[4]
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