Whether it’s an emergency, we’ve switched locations, or we’re simply looking for a change, a lot of us have found ourselves scouting the web for a “dentist near me”. And when we realize that our oral health is as important as our general health, the search is heightened. The ultimate goal is to find ourselves a dentist with who we can have a long-term relationship with.
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Searching For A Dentist Near Me
There are various ways you can look for a dentist in your vicinity. The most common method is by asking for recommendations from family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. People living in the same area have a better idea of the services you can avail at surrounding offices. Additionally, they’ll be able to offer some insight regarding their own experiences, making it easier to decide.
When it comes to recommendations, you can also ask your local pharmacist or your general healthcare practitioner. Since people involved in the faculty of medicine have similar social circles, they can give you some idea of the dentists in your area.
Moreover, you can also look up the dentists listed at your local and state dental societies. You can find these societies in the telephone directory or on the official website of the American Dental Association.
Remember – feel free to shop around for dentists and settle on one that you’re comfortable with since the relationship you will have with your dentist will be a rather extensive one.
How Do I Know If The Dentist Near Me Is A Quality Dentist?
When you’re going around visiting the various dental offices around you, there are some things you have to look out for. Some of them are stated below –
- Note how far the office is located from your house and place of work. If the office is too far from either place, chances are you’ll be skipping out on those regular appointments.
- When you visit the office, keep an eye out for the condition of the place. Does it seem neat, clean, and in order? Does the dental equipment and chair seem sterilized?
- Are you being provided with safety gear during your appointment? Are the dentists and staff also in protective clothing?
- How does the staff’s behavior appear? Are they making your comfort a priority or are they disconnected?
- Is the dentist averse to answering any questions you might have? Do they talk you through your treatment when suggesting it?
Is Flossing More Important Than Brushing?
The American Dental Association recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Additionally, they also recommend that you floss your teeth at least once.
Flossing and brushing aren’t an either/or equation for oral health. Both are equally important. But if you had to choose one, flossing rests a notch higher on the importance scale. Because flossing removes interdental plaque buildup and from underneath the gums. Brushes can’t reach these places, and failure to remove plaque from these areas causes gingivitis and periodontitis.
A lot of people brush their teeth as much as they should, but they fail to floss. Here are 5 reasons why flossing is as important –
- According to the American Dental Association, flossing before brushing your teeth makes brushing more effective. Since plaque has been removed through flossing, the fluoride in your toothpaste reaches all these areas, rendering them cleaner.
- Flossing protects your gums by removing plaque from between teeth and underneath gums. If plaque isn’t removed, it turns into a hard mass called calculus, which can be a pain to remove. Calculi are removed only by professional cleaning. Moreover, plaque and calculus buildup causes gum disease. Flossing also helps prevent the formation of cavities, but that needs to become a habit.
- Flossing helps you save money. Yes, you read that right. When you take up flossing, you’re providing your oral cavity with an extra bit of care that it needs. Since lack of flossing can lead to other, more serious issues, you’re saving yourself a lot of money by avoiding costly treatments.
- Research states that the bacteria in our mouth can have harmful effects on the rest of the body leading to, namely, heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory illness. Periodontal disease can be a contributing factor. And since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, if a simple task such as flossing helps to avoid it, best to get on it and fast.
- Flossing can make your teeth appear brighter by removing the plaque buildup in hard-to-reach areas by the brush. Commit to a daily flossing routine along with brushing twice every day with whitening toothpaste to notice an improvement in your pearly whites.
Does The Dentist Near Me Recommend Flossing?
Without a doubt, the entire team at Brooklyn Blvd Dental recommends that you follow the ADA protocol and floss once a day. Of course, pair that with brushing twice! However, to make sure that you get the most out of flossing, you need to know the right way to do so.
Wrap the dental floss in a ‘c-shape’, and cover as much surface area of the tooth as you can. You should be covering about half the diameter of the respective tooth from each angle. Additionally, move the floss up and down the outer surface of the tooth and under the gum tissue. The floss will get rid of plaque from both the tooth’s outer and inner surfaces along with underneath the gum tissue.
While we know that all of this sounds fairly easy, a 2015 study showed that a lot of people neglect to brush certain oral surfaces and skip out on flossing altogether. Furthermore, a study conducted in 2014 showed that proper flossing depends greatly on correct usage and self-monitoring.
So the next time you’re about to brush your teeth, don’t forget to pick up the dental floss. Moreover, to kick start your oral health journey today, give Brooklyn Blvd Dental a call!
