Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI
“Have you been flossing?” It is a question that you should hear asked every time you visit your dentist for a cleaning. When asked this question, or anything else regarding your oral hygiene habits at home, it is important to be completely honest. Embellishing, fibbing or outright lying to your dental provider makes it more difficult for you to receive the top level of oral health care. Lying about or oral health routine simply doesn’t do you any favors! Plus, spoiler alert – we know when you are not telling the truth about how often you brush or floss.
Lying about your personal oral hygiene, such as the frequency of flossing, will not work inside the dental office. An expertly trained dentist or dental hygienist can recognize the sign of oral health issues immediately, just by observing indicators such as the accumulation of tartar between the teeth and under the gums. Also, when your gums bleed easily it is usually a good indicator that you do not floss regularly or even at all. Trying to make up for missed time brushing or flossing by performing personal hygiene vigorously for a few days before a dental visit also does not work. In short, there is no substitute to disguise the results achieved from a long-term regimen of comprehensive personal oral hygiene.
Being completely honest with your dentist also allows you both to remain on the same page at all times. If your dentist has all the valid information—the good and the bad—he or she can come up with an optimal regimen of oral home health care that will be customized to your specific lifestyle and needs. Having full knowledge of your real brushing and flossing habits also allows your dentist and dental hygienist to provide the most effective treatments possible during a dental visit.
Plus, it will save you money in the long run.
Even the best dental work by an exceptional dentist will only go so far if the patient does not comply with good oral hygiene efforts. If you spend a significant amount of money on cosmetic dentistry, yet still do not brush and floss regularly, your results simply may not last as long as it could. This means you may end up paying to redo treatment much earlier than you should have, had you kept up with your oral health.
While there are certainly unforeseen circumstances or pre-existing conditions that may contribute to the condition of your oral health, it is important to also discuss your medical history with the dentist. Certain conditions such as pregnancy or diabetes can really take a toll on your oral health, and it may effect how we ultimately treat you for your oral care needs.
So, remember, when your dentist asks questions about your oral hygiene, honesty is always the best policy.
A lifetime of good oral health only can be achieved when you and your dentist work together to obtain the best possible results. If you want to learn more about Hartrick Dentistry and the services that we offer, call our office at (248) 549-0950.
Hartrick Dentistry is proud to serve the oral health needs of patients in the areas of Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI.