What do dentists do?
A dentist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating oral health conditions. To enter a school of dentistry in the U.S., prospective dentists must clear the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) after completing their bachelor's degree. A newly graduated dentist then takes up particular specialties during their residency years. A dentist practicing in the U.S. holds a four-year degree in Doctor of Dental Surgery or a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry. It takes about eight years to become a dentist in the U.S.
Dentists receive extensive training to provide care and treatment in the following ways:
- Preventive dentistry: Dentists offer dental exams, cleanings, sealants, and fluoride treatments to stop dental issues before they become severe.Â
- Restorative dentistry: Dentists also perform treatments such as fillings, crowns, bridges, and implants to repair or replace damaged and missing teeth.
- Emergency dental care: Dentists offer treatments such as root canals and tooth extractions.Â
Different specializations in dentistry
The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes several specialties within the scope of dentistry, such as:
- Periodontics: A periodontist is a specialist who diagnoses and treats gum disease and other related conditions.Â
- Dental anesthesiology: A dental anesthesiologist offers pain management services for people undergoing dental surgery.
- Prosthodontics: A prosthodontist makes natural-looking restorations such as crowns and dentures.
- Endodontics: An endodontist performs root canal therapy, especially for complex cases.
- Pedodontics: These specialists treat oral conditions in children, adolescents, and teenagers.Â
- Orthodontics: Orthodontists offer braces, clear aligners, retainers, and other appliances that help realign your bite and straighten teeth.
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery: These specialists focus on surgical procedures to treat diseases, defects, and injuries of your jaws and other orofacial structures.
When should you see a dentist?
A dental check-up allows the dentist to see if you have any dental problems. Leaving problems untreated could lead to complications, so preventive check-ups are important. During the check-up, your dentist will take a look at your teeth, gums, and mouth and ask about your general health and dental problems you may have had since your last visit. They may also offer advice on lifestyle and teeth-cleaning habits.Â
Consider visiting a dentist near you if you notice the following symptoms:
- Pain and swelling: Persistent and severe pain and swelling in teeth and gums may indicate something serious. A dentist can check for infection and gum disease and suggest treatment options.Â
- Gum problems: If your gums are puffy, swollen, have pus or an odor, or are beginning to recede. Any changes in your gums would require the attention of a dentist who will check for gum disease or other problems.Â
- White spots on teeth: If you notice white spots, it may indicate early stages of tooth decay, which can be halted if detected early on.Â
- Problems with dental work: If you feel like your previous dental work, such as crowns, implants, and fillings, are loose, crooked, or somewhat off.
- Changes in color or texture: If you see changes in the color or texture of your mouth, such as white or red patches.Â
- Increased sensitivity: If you notice new sensitivity to hot or cold foods or temperatures, it may be due to cavities or issues like teeth grinding.Â
- Persistent bad breath: If your breath does not improve with proper oral hygiene habits.
- Difficulty swallowing or chewing: See a dentist if you struggle chewing or swallowing your food.
- Jaw concerns: Uneven bites that cause pain or other difficulties while chewing or closing the jaw.Â
- Mouth sores: Lingering canker and cold sores may indicate more significant infections-related issues.
Just as you would not ignore a persistent problem in the rest of your body, you must also pay attention to and seek timely care for your oral health.
What conditions do dentists treat?
Dentists diagnose and treat various conditions, including the following:
- Cavities: Cavities (tooth decay) are a common ailment. It occurs when plaque combines with the starches and/or sugar in the food you eat to produce acids that attack tooth enamel. To prevent tooth decay, follow these tips:
- Brush twice a dayÂ
- Get regular dental check-ups
- Avoid high-sugar food and drinks
- Floss or clean between your teeth daily
- Have dental sealants placed on the biting surfaces of your back teeth
- Rinse your mouth after brushing and/or eating with an antibacterial mouthwash  Â
- Tooth erosion: Tooth erosion refers to the loss of tooth structure caused by acid attacking tooth enamel. Early symptoms of this condition include tooth sensitivity, rounded teeth, teeth discoloration or yellowing, and sandblasted appearance. In its advanced stages, tooth erosion can lead to cracked teeth, extreme sensitivity, and little dents (erosion lesions) on the biting areas of your teeth. While tooth erosion is common, proper oral care can easily prevent it.
- Root infection: Root infections develop if tooth decay is not treated correctly, allowing bacteria to weaken the root of your teeth. Long-lasting, throbbing tooth pain is one of the main symptoms of this condition. If you have a root infection, your dentist might perform root canal treatment to remove the bacteria from the canal and seal your tooth with a crown or filling.
- Oral cancer: While oral cancer is a serious and possibly fatal condition, it is treatable if diagnosed in its early stages. Its symptoms include lumps, oral sores, changes in your bite, rough areas in your mouth, and difficulty moving your jaws and/or tongue. While anyone can get oral cancer, people with the following are more at risk of developing the condition: poor nutrition, smoking or chewing tobacco, alcohol consumption, human papillomavirus (HPV), and genetic syndromes.
What to expect at your first dental visit?
Feeling anxious about your first visit to a dentist near you is normal, but there's no need to worry! Dentists are here to help, not to scare. Here's what you can expect:
- A warm welcome: When you arrive, the dental staff will welcome you with a friendly greeting. The staff will then ask for general information, like your name and age, to check you in.
- Initial questions: After introducing themselves, the dentist will ask you to settle comfortably into the dental chair. They'll inquire about the main reason for your visit. Once they address your primary concern, they'll comprehensively evaluate your teeth and mouth.
- The examination: During this, the dentist will check all your teeth for cavities and assess your oral hygiene.
- Health history and treatment plan: After the physical examination, your provider will record your oral and medical health history. The dentist will then explain all available treatment options and work with you to devise the best treatment plan. They'll also prescribe any necessary medications.
- Examine other oral tissues for any abnormalities
- Identify any missing teeth
- If necessary, an X-ray can help reach a more detailed diagnosis
- Procedures on the first visit: Your dentist may perform some procedures during your first visit. Typically, these include:
- Cleaning and polishing: If you have plaque buildup and debris, the dentist will likely recommend and immediately perform a cleaning and polishing session. If plaque and calculus have reached under the gum line, you may need a follow-up visit for thorough cleaning.
- Minor cavity filling: Small or moderate cavities are treated during the visit.
- Start of a root canal: If you need a root canal, your dentist will initiate the first step to relieve pain on the same day. Depending on the schedule and your preference, a single-day root canal might also be an option.
Remember, your first dental visit is a step towards better oral health. Embrace the experience and let your dentist guide you to a healthier smile!
The importance of oral health
Our mouth is the point of entry to our respiratory and digestive tracts. Maintaining oral hygiene becomes essential to curtail the risk of bacteria entering our organ systems. Bad oral health can transfer bacteria from our mouth to our bloodstream, causing inflammation in our blood vessels. It also leaves us susceptible to deadly diseases like pneumonia and endocarditis. Similarly, in gum infections like periodontitis, bacteria entering the bloodstream can target the fetus, causing complications in pregnancy, like premature birth and low birth weight.
The causes of tooth decay and other dental issues are as simple as drinking coffee regularly and consuming excessive sugars like gummy candies. Coffee can also cause discoloration of teeth, while sweets and sticky candy can lead to tooth decay. Habits like smoking and drinking are also hazardous.
Tips for maintaining good oral health
To maintain good oral health, at the very basic, you must brush twice a day and rinse your mouth with an antimicrobial mouthwash. It would help to change your toothbrush every three months. Opting for fluoride toothpaste is better, as fluoride helps strengthen tooth enamel, preventing tooth decay.Â
Furthermore, avoiding tobacco products and maintaining a diet high in fiber and low in fats and sugars is advisable. Regular flossing is also something you should incorporate into your daily routine. It is a good idea to limit between-meal snacks. Dental sealants help prevent food from getting stuck in the teeth, thus protecting them from decaying.
Some of the common tooth and gum issues that dentists treat are:
- Toothache
- Tooth and gum sensitivity
- Bleeding gums
- Receding gums
- Cavities
- Stained teeth
- Crooked teeth
- Issues with wisdom teeth
- Chipping of teeth
- Excessive gaps between teeth
- Halitosis, also known as chronic bad breath
- Dry mouth
These are not just painful or uncomfortable problems; they can also lead to many other health complications. Therefore, we must care for our oral health and hygiene to prevent these health hazards.
How do you find the best dentist near you in Vienna, Virginia?
Choosing the right dentist can be challenging. One has to decide whether they need to visit an orthodontist, periodontist, or an endodontist and if their insurance plan will be accepted by the doctor in concern, among other factors.
You need not worry anymore because Zocdoc is here to help you find the best dentists in Vienna, Virginia. All you need to do is create a free account on Zocdoc. Zocdoc enables you to find the best dentists around you through their various filter options. You can determine the dentist's availability on your date and time of choice. On the Zocdoc platform, you can access a list of the best available dentists from their extensive database that fits your needs. Use filters like medical insurance plans, area and zip code, the specialty you are looking for, and your symptoms and conditions to narrow down your choice.
If you choose to keep your insurance details private when booking an appointment through Zocdoc, you can acknowledge that you'll be paying out-of-pocket or select a provider that doesn't require insurance information for scheduling. Zocdoc offers this flexibility to ensure you can discover a healthcare provider who matches your preferences regarding insurance disclosure. Please visit Zocdoc's patient help center for any more insurance-related questions.
Furthermore, you can view the complete professional profiles of dentists. Each healthcare provider's profile lists their degrees, specializations, years of practice, licenses, and affiliations. You can also read the verified reviews from the doctor's previous patients to make an informed decision.
After deciding on your doctor, you can make an online or an in-person appointment with the dentist you select. The best part is that all bookings on Zocdoc are simple, secure, and 100% free!
Dental statistics in Virginia, U.S.
As per figures from the National Library of Medicine, U.S. annual dental care costs in 2018 were estimated to be nearly $136 billion, accounting for around 3.7% of the total U.S. healthcare expenditure. It is also recorded that patients' out-of-pocket costs were about 40%, nearly $55 billion.
Studies say tooth decay is the second most common disorder after the common cold. Oral cancer is recorded to be the world's 13th most common cancer. Human papillomavirus infections are a leading cause of oral cancer among young people in the United States.
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost all seniors 65 years or above have had at least one dental cavity. Around 30% of people in the 65 to 74 age group have no natural teeth. The CDC also records that one in every four adults aged 20-64 suffers from cavities. Around 52% of children below eight have suffered from cavities in their primary teeth.Â
The World Health Organization confirms that 1 billion people are affected by oro-dental trauma. Studies tell us that around 67% of Virginia's 18-44 population visited a dentist in 2020.
Sources
WebMD[1]
WebMD[2]
National Center for Biotechnology Information
Mayo Clinic
World Health Organization
America's Health Rankings
University of Illinois Chicago
Cleveland Clinic[1]
Cleveland Clinic[2]
NHS
Newport Beach Dental
Top Notch Dental Clinic
Verywell Health[1]
Verywell Health[2]
Verywell Health[3]
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