Who is a general dentist?
A general dentist usually acquires the degree of either DDS ( Doctor of Dental Surgery ) or DDM (Doctor of Dental Medicine) after completing their education of four years at reputed dental schools. A general dentist provides a wide array of dental treatments that are very important for your dental health. Previously people had the misconception that they need to visit the general dentist only when they experience tooth pain, but this is far from the truth.
How does visiting a general dentist help?
The general dentist helps the patients in the following way:
Preventive Dentistry
Most of the dental treatments can be avoided if the patient has a good knowledge about preventive dentistry.
A general dentist gives a lot of value to oral hygiene and preventive dentistry and educates the patients about its importance. He provides the right guidance to the parents and children about maintaining oral hygiene to keep dental diseases at bay. When we visit a general dentist regularly for checkups, he will be able to detect early signs of dental problems and give the patient tips to avoid the worsening of their condition.
A general dentist gives a lot of value to oral hygiene and preventive dentistry and educates the patients about its importance. He provides the right guidance to the parents and children about maintaining oral hygiene to keep dental diseases at bay. When we visit a general dentist regularly for checkups, he will be able to detect early signs of dental problems and give the patient tips to avoid the worsening of their condition.
Tooth Decay
In Spite of brushing, flossing and using an antibacterial mouthwash some people develop carries and experience tooth loss.
According to dental experts, it is imperative to visit the general dentist for a professional dental cleaning and scaling to clean the tartar accumulated on the surface of the tooth. This tartar cannot be removed by brushing but needs professional cleaning, or else it leads to tooth decay which destroys the dentin of the tooth and may infect the tooth pulp.
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A general dentist not only provides the services like scaling and professional cleaning but also does dental fillings. In case the infection reaches the dental pulp, the general dentist can also provide root canal treatments. If the root canals do not offer relief to the patient, then the general dentist can refer the patient to a qualified endodontist for special procedures like root canal retreatment or an apicoectomy.
Tooth extraction and replacements
If the tooth cannot be saved with root canals and other procedures, then the general dentist can also do tooth extractions and replace them with removable dentures or fixed dentures. He can also provide dental implants or refer the patient to a specialist for dental implants.
Tooth erosion
Tooth erosion is also known as acid erosion. It is the elimination of the tooth enamel due to everyday wear and tear. Our enamel does not have living cells and cannot be created again after its destruction. A general dentist can examine the teeth in routine checkups and guide the patient to take steps to stop tooth erosion. A general dentist can advise the patients to limit the intake of soda drinks and citrus juices which quickens tooth erosion. If the patient has already experienced tooth erosion, then the dentist can provide treatments like dental bonding to improve the look of the tooth destroyed by erosion. The general dentist can also protect the eroded tooth from damage with the help of crowns and laminates.
Ensure perfectly aligned tooth eruption
If a child loses tooth too early or his baby tooth is extracted due to tooth decay, then the child may have teeth which erupt haphazardly or are crooked. To tackle this problem, the general dentist can provide the child with space maintainers that guide the teeth to erupt in the right place. It helps the child get perfectly aligned teeth, and he does not have to go for orthodontic treatments in the later stages of his life.
Treatment of common dental problems
The general dentist provides treatment for common dental problems like halitosis or bad breath which can be very embarrassing for the patient.
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The general dentist can also provide treatment for tooth sensitivity which makes the patient experience stinging pain when they eat or drink something that is too hot or too cold. By treating this problem, the general dentist can help the patient to eat whatever they want and live life to the fullest without thinking about sensitivity.
Detecting life-threatening ailments
The dentist can save many lives by detecting precancerous lesions and help the patient by convincing him to avoid bad habits like smoking so that they can prevent oral cancers.
American Dental Association recommends every individual to visit a general dentist in every six months. According to doctor Carlos Gonzalez, a Hialeah Dentist, people who visit the general dentist regularly and as recommended can retain their natural tooth for a lifetime and enjoy better dental health.
References:
- http://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/careers-in-dentistry/general-dentistry
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_surgery
- http://dentalamericangroup.com/general-dentistry/
- http://dentalamericangroup.com
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