Do you have a routine dentist appointment coming up? Whether you are meeting a new dentist or intend to see the same dental professional you have visited for decades, you might feel unsure about what to do before you arrive at the dental practice.
During these visits, a dentist will clean your teeth and examine your smile for potential dental concerns. You can make the process go smoothly with preparation ahead of your visit. Read on to discover three steps you should take prior to your routine teeth cleaning appointment to streamline your visit to the dentist’s office.
Complete Your Usual Oral Hygiene Routine
A dentist will clean your teeth during this routine appointment. They scrape away plaque and tartar build-up, specifically in spots where your toothbrush cannot reach, like in the gum pockets. But it is still a good idea to complete your usual oral hygiene regimen prior to your dental visit.
Flossing and brushing your teeth will scrub away lingering food particles and almost all of the plaque that forms on your smile during a typical day. With these films gone, your dentist can focus on the harder accrual on your teeth, helping you spend less time in the dental chair.
But this pre-appointment effort will not substitute for overall lapses in your at-home oral health care. Do not attempt to brush and floss excessively to make up for skipped oral hygiene regimens.
This will not work and will likely result in irritating your teeth and gums. Instead, adhere to consistent care for your smile to maximize preventative dental benefits.
Prepare with Relaxation Techniques
Many people feel nervous about going to their dentist’s office. So thinking ahead and finding ways to relax before and during your appointment can ensure you have a calm and positive experience in the dentist’s chair. These can help you alleviate any lingering nerves.
Examples of ways to feel relaxed include breathing exercises, bringing music to listen to in the chair, or asking a friend to come with you to your appointment. Tell your dentist if you feel anxious, and they can work with you to relieve tension. They might suggest sedation dentistry to induce a calm sensation with medicine.
You can also feel more at ease when you wear comfortable clothing. You will spend most of your appointment leaned back in the dentist’s chair. So choose loose-fitting clothes that will not tug or distract you during your teeth cleaning.
Bring Your Insurance Card and Oral Appliances
To avoid delays or confusion at the front desk when you first arrive for your appointment, check that you have everything you need before you leave the house. The staff will ask to confirm your dental insurance information, so bring this card with you to the office.
If you have oral appliances, like dentures or Invisalign, bring these with you to the dentist appointment too. The dentist will want to examine these devices to ensure they fit and function as well as they should. Without these items, you might miss important routine dental care.