Public Service Announcement: Stay Aware about your Dental Care

I've been very happy with my old dentist for the last 10 years until this past November when he told me I had 2 cavities which needed fillings. How could this happen? I see my dentist twice a year, get x-rays done as he requests, and get deep cleanings with the same guy every 2 years. I brush my teeth and floss. Needless to say, I was dumbfounded as to why suddenly I had tooth decay which was never mentioned in any previous appointments. I scheduled my appointment for fillings and kept doubting the validity of the dental diagnosis.

I ended up getting the fillings and afterwards was extremely uncomfortable. I couldn't eat or drink hot or cold items on one side of my mouth. I called up to follow-up and they added more filling. During that appointment, the dentist said "You probably feel discomfort because you haven't had a filling in a long time" . When in fact, I've never had a filling from him ever! From that point, I decided to take my business elsewhere.

After finding another dentist which I liked, I referred my entire family to go to her as well. The kids had no problem adjusting. At first, my husband was reluctant to switch dentists, but agreed to try her out too. We are so lucky that he found her. Upon initial examination, she told him that she couldn't do a cleaning because he had severe periodontal problems. Only a periodontist would be able to do a thorough cleaning and needed to examine his problems in greater depth. Her honesty was refreshing since our previous dentist would continue to clean and do deep cleanings even if the result was useless for his condition. 

The new dentist referred my husband to a periodontist where he was examined. The periodontist would need to do a 3 hour deep cleaning and continue to see my husband for cleanings 4 times a year. My husband would also need to go to for a checkup and exam with our new dentist once a year. It's unfortunate we needed to switch dentists before discovering the truth. On a positive note, We're are now more informed since we switched dentists. I now know a deep cleaning should be done by a periodontist and a one-stop-does it all dentist is someone to stay away from. 

 In 10 years, our previous dentist has never referred my husband out of his practice to do any additional work. I've seen his practice grow from the start. It was quiet and slow at first, then it became more of a supermarket style practice. Very busy, always crowded, and very fast. I forgot what a dental practice should be like----the complete opposite of this office.  Essentially every patient cannot become complacent about their health and the services provided by their provider. Whether you are a new patient or an old one, questions still need to be asked so the provider knows you are paying attention.